Africa and Permanent Membership of the United Nations Security Council: Need or Noise?

Abstract

The Security Council has five permanent members and ten non-permanent members. Decisions on substantive matters require a minimum of nine affirmative votes and no Vetoes by permanent members, reflecting the need for consensus among the world’s major powers. The US not too long ago announced its readiness to support the creation of two new permanent seats for Africa though without veto powers. The global consensus on restructuring the P5 is historic. While Africa is under-represented in global governance structures, it is over-represented in the challenges these structures address.  This paper finds that reform of the Security Council membership to include permanent African representation with veto power has become imperative in the light of current world events.  It finds that for the challenges facing the continent of Africa to be addressed at the world platform, Africa should be represented at the Council.  This paper employs a doctrinal method of legal research and advocates that inclusion of the African Continent in the permanent membership category of the Security Council will ensure that decisions affecting Africa are made with direct and meaningful input from those most affected.