Africa calls for permanent representation at UN Security Council

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged the UN Security Council on Thursday to enact reforms that would give Africa permanent representation there.

Opening a meeting in the capital Kampala attended by officials representing 10 African Union member states, Museveni said the 1.3 billion people on the African continent deserve representation on the Security Council.

“The UN Security Council should have been and must be reformed,” he said. “This is not a favor by anybody but a right of all peoples that inhabit the planet Earth.”

"We demand our right for permanent representation on the UN Security Council. Africans and billions of Asians cannot be kept out of the UN Security Council by five member states that monopolize it now.”

He referred to the current system as being unfair, saying Africa must have a permanent seat on the Security Council to ensure that it is not used negatively against Africa.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are the US, China, Russia, France and Britain. The council’s 10 other seats rotate among nonpermanent members who serve two-year terms. ​​​​​​​