President John Dramani Mahama has renewed calls for Africa to be granted a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, describing the current structure of the UN as outdated and unjust.
Speaking at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Thursday, September 25, 2025, the Ghanaian leader said the UN must embark on what he called a “reset agenda” to reflect today’s global realities.
“The UN founding charter is outdated when it comes to representation,” Mahama declared.
“The most powerful post-World War II nations are still being rewarded with an almost totalitarian guardianship over the rest of the world. And yet, the first sentence in Chapter 2, Article 1 of the UN charter declares that ‘The Organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members.’”
He argued that if the principle of equality is to hold true, Africa must not continue to be sidelined in the Council’s decision-making processes.
“If this were truly the case, a continent as large as Africa, with its numerous UN member states, would have at least one permanent seat on the Security Council,” he said.
Mahama also challenged the continued dominance of the five permanent members of the Council and their unrestricted veto powers.
“Furthermore, veto power should not be restricted to five nations, nor should it be absolute. There must be a mechanism for the General Assembly to challenge a veto. No single nation should be able to exercise an absolute veto to serve its own interests in a conflict,” he told the Assembly.
Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela, who addressed the UN in 1995 during its 50th anniversary, Mahama reminded world leaders that the call for reform is not new.
“Nelson Mandela said, ‘The United Nations has to reassess its role, redefine its profile, and reshape its structures. It should truly reflect the diversity of our universe and ensure equity among the nations in the exercise of power within the system of international relations, in general, and the Security Council in particular.’”
Mahama noted that thirty years later, African leaders are still repeating the same demand without action from the global body.
“So, today, Madam President, I stand here in this exact spot, asking: if not now, then when?” he challenged.
The President said Africa’s exclusion from the Council undermines the principle of fairness and weakens the legitimacy of the UN system. He argued that Africa’s growing population, its increasing influence on global affairs, and its role in maintaining international peace and security justify permanent representation.
Mahama stressed that beyond representation, global financial systems must also be restructured to give Africa a greater voice.
“We demand not only a reform of the Security Council, but also a reset of the global financial architecture, which is currently rigged against Africa. Africa must have a greater say in the world’s multilateral financial institutions,” he added.
He said the UN must evolve just as the world has changed in the 80 years since its founding, noting that the challenges confronting the global community today — from climate change to migration and economic inequality — demand an inclusive and representative international system.
“Since the organisation’s founding, the number of UN member nations has nearly quadrupled. And, quite frankly, it is not the same world that it was back then,” Mahama observed.
He warned that if reforms are not undertaken, the UN risks becoming ineffective, just as its predecessor, the League of Nations, collapsed under the weight of global divisions.
The president insisted that Africa will continue to push for equal representation, fair treatment, and dignity on the global stage.
“Thirty years later, we African leaders are still making the same request: for a permanent seat on the Security Council, with the power of veto,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
