Africa deserves permanent UN seat – Oppong Nkrumah

Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has reiterated the need for Africa to have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

According to Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, there is the need for the Security Council to be reformed to reflect the changing dynamics of the world, and the inclusion of a permanent member from Africa is a step towards this.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India on Saturday, March 4, 2023, Nkrumah stressed that Africa deserves a voice in the decision-making process particularly on matters affecting global peace and security.

“The current decision-making arrangements within international institutions, particularly the UN Security Council needs to be looked at. The veto power held by the 5 permanent members can hinder the timely resolution of issues, especially if those members are also contributing to the problem at hand. Additionally, the emergence of non-state actors and terrorist groups has created a new set of challenges that require a more dynamic and responsive approach from global bodies such as the UN.

“The current mechanism may not be adequate in dealing with these new threats effectively. Therefore, there is a need for reforms within international institutions to ensure that they are better equipped to respond to these challenges. This may involve changes to the composition and decision-making procedures of the Security Council and other global bodies to ensure that they are more representative, inclusive, and responsive to the changing realities of the world,” he said.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah’s position resonates with the sentiments expressed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres amid growing calls for the council to be expanded to include permanent representation from Africa.

At present, the council has five permanent members - the US, the UK, Russia, France, and China - with each having veto powers on any issue presented at the council.

Ghana currently holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, which it won in June 2020 and will hold until the end of 2021.

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