The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has called for the United Nations Security Council to create two permanent seats for Africa, emphasizing the need for reforms within the international body.
Addressing the 63rd Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS)-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, Belgium on June 26, 2023, Tayebwa expressed his disappointment that Africa, which is three times larger than Europe, lacks permanent representation at the UN Security Council.
Tayebwa highlighted the absence of permanent members from Latin America and Africa, with China being the sole representative from Asia. He argued that this situation undermines the credibility of the Security Council, portraying it as a forum dominated by Western powers and major nations while marginalizing smaller states and those from the global south.
He stated, “We cannot continue living in the era of 1945 before most of us were born. This has no standing in any modern society.”
Drawing attention to the council’s unrepresentative nature, Tayebwa pointed out the lack of African input during the Libyan conflict, where the Security Council approved the bombardment of the North African country.
He criticized the council for becoming a platform primarily dedicated to resolving disputes between powerful states and superpowers, rather than fostering global cooperation.
The African Union has long been dissatisfied with the imbalanced composition of the UN Security Council. In the 2005 Ezulwini consensus and Sirte declaration, African Union member states resolved that Africa should be granted two permanent seats on the council. However, this resolution has not been implemented to date.
Tayebwa affirmed Uganda’s commitment to the African Union’s position, advocating for an inclusive and representative Security Council. He believed that such reforms would create a conducive environment for global peace and stability. Supporting Tayebwa’s stance, Zimbabwe’s Deputy President of the Senate, Hon. General Michael Reuben Nyambuya, stressed the urgency of these reforms to ensure equitable representation.
Tayebwa also highlighted the adverse effects of Africa’s exclusion from permanent representation at the Security Council. He argued that it hampers the continent’s efforts to combat climate change, insecurity, terrorism, and poverty since these matters are deliberated upon without African input.
The United Nations Security Council currently consists of five permanent members: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, and France. Any modifications to include additional countries would require the approval of these five members, even if endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly.
The 63rd OACPS, which commenced on June 18 and will continue until June 28, 2023, provided a platform for discussions on various important issues.