Mbabane – Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for sweeping reforms of the United Nations Security Council to give Africa, Asia and Latin America a greater voice in global decision-making.
The call echoes demands made by African leaders over the years, among them the late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who repeatedly pushed for greater African representation and a stronger voice for the continent in global institutions.
Speaking during the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi, India, from September 12 to 13, Putin said the Security Council needed to be expanded to better reflect the current global balance of power and make the United Nations more effective.
His call comes as Africa continues to push for permanent representation on the powerful UN Security Council, despite the continent accounting for more than a quarter of the organisation’s member states.
Currently, the five permanent members of the Security Council are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, all of whom have veto powers. Africa has no permanent seat.
Putin said reforms should give developing nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America greater representation in global political institutions.
He further called for changes to major international financial and trade institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation, arguing that they should better reflect current political and economic realities.
The Russian leader’s remarks are in line with the long-standing position of the African Union, which has repeatedly called for the reform of the UN Security Council through the Ezulwini Consensus.
Under the African position, the continent is demanding at least two permanent seats with all the privileges of permanent membership, including veto powers for as long as the veto exists, as well as two additional non-permanent seats.
The issue has remained one of Africa’s longest-running calls for reform of the global governance system.
The late former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was among African leaders who strongly criticised the current structure of the Security Council, describing Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership as a historic injustice.
Mugabe repeatedly argued that Africa could not continue participating in an international system where major decisions affecting the continent were made without Africans having permanent representation at the highest level.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also attended the BRICS summit, where South Africa pushed for greater representation of emerging economies in global political and financial institutions.
The summit brought together BRICS member states Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
Putin’s backing for Security Council reform places renewed international attention on Africa’s demand for a stronger and permanent role in global governance, particularly as BRICS members continue calling for a more multipolar world order.
For Africa, however, the question remains whether renewed calls for reform will finally translate into permanent seats at the table where some of the world’s most important security decisions are made.
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