On Thursday, the United States proposed significant changes to the UN Security Council, calling for two permanent seats for African nations. Additionally, the U.S. supports creating a rotating seat for small developing island nations.
These proposals aim to overhaul the 15-member Security Council, which has seen little change for decades. The new African seats would not hold veto power, a privilege reserved for the current permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia, and the U.S.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Washington’s ambassador to the UN, announced the plans at a Council on Foreign Relations event. She emphasized the need for “two permanent seats for Africa” and a new elected seat for small island states.
Currently, African nations have three non-permanent seats on the Security Council, rotating every two years. The U.S. believes that adding these seats without granting veto power will prevent further deadlock within the Council.
Security Council reform faces major hurdles, including unanimous approval from its five permanent members and ratification by two-thirds of the 193 member states. Washington firmly opposes expanding veto powers to new members, arguing it could exacerbate existing gridlocks.
The UN welcomed Washington’s proposal as a positive step toward enhancing African representation. A UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, noted that while the details remain to be worked out, the move aligns with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for greater African inclusion.
In September 2022, President Joe Biden expressed support for Security Council reforms, endorsing permanent seats for Africa and Latin America. Thomas-Greenfield highlighted the consensus among UN members that the current system is inadequate and in need of reform
