Africa: In Ethiopia, UN Chief Advocates for Permanent Security Council Seats for Africa

Speaking in the Ethiopian capital on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call for global institutional reform, highlighting the need for two permanent seats on the Security Council for Africa and stronger financial support to address the continent’s challenges.

In a speech delivered during the inauguration of the renovated Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated the building’s historic and symbolic importance for Africa’s unity and progress.

“This hall is where Africa came together to give life to the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union,” he stated, acknowledging the transformation of the continent from its early days of independence to the present. “I also see it as an invitation for everyone to cooperate in pursuit of a better future, for Africa and for the world,” he continued.

Permanent seats

Mr. Guterres highlighted Africa’s hope and promise but stressed the challenges the continent still faces, such as climate change, conflict, and poverty, heightened by historical challenges and inequalities.

Moreover, he called for the reform of global institutions that remain outdated, especially highlighting the absence of a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council. “Let’s hope it will be corrected soon,” he shared in his statement, especially as there is now a consensus between all Member States that installing “two African members as permanent members of the Security Council” is essential for reform.

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