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Raila Odinga, Kenya’s candidate for the African Union Commission Chairperson, has vowed to lead efforts to secure two permanent seats for Africa at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Speaking at the Mjadala Afrika Leadership Debate in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, Odinga stressed the urgent need to address Africa’s historical exclusion from global decision-making, especially at the UNSC, which plays a pivotal role in international peace and security.
“This is long overdue,” Odinga said, urging the UN to reconsider the structure of the influential council. He pointed out that the UN was established when much of Africa was still under colonial rule, and its current structure no longer reflects the realities of today’s world.
Odinga made these comments while competing for the AU Commission Chairperson role against Djibouti’s Mohamoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato. He argued that it was “unacceptable” for five countries to hold veto power in the Security Council while Africa, with its 1.4 billion people, remains unrepresented.
Currently, the UNSC consists of 15 members: five permanent members with veto power (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten non-permanent members serving two-year terms. Over 50 UN member states, many from Africa, have never held a position on the Council.
Odinga stated that Africa’s 55 nations deserve equal representation, noting Europe’s three permanent seats as an example of imbalanced global influence. “We will insist that Africa must have two permanent seats at the UN Security Council,” he declared. He stressed that permanent representation with veto powers is essential for Africa and promised to advocate for this if elected.
His stance is in line with broader African efforts calling for UNSC reforms. Kenya’s President William Ruto and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame have also been vocal in supporting such reforms. In September, Kagame proposed that one permanent UNSC seat should represent the AU Commission, while the other should rotate among African nations to reflect the continent’s diverse interests.
However, some caution has been voiced by experts like Ambassador Martin Kimani, who warned that pursuing UNSC reforms without first addressing internal African Union reforms could lead to divisions and manipulation by global powers. He emphasized that Africa must focus on internal unity and reform to present a strong, united front for UNSC representation.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has expressed support for UNSC reform, advocating for a more inclusive and representative Council. Currently, African countries hold three non-permanent UNSC seats on a rotating basis, but these do not allow full participation in the Council’s work.
