The United States wants to give two permanent seats to African countries on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). They believe this will help fix the way the UNSC works. This news was first shared by Reuters. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, will talk about it in a speech in New York. The goal is to improve relationships with Africa.
The U.S. also wants to add a rotating seat for small island countries on the UNSC.
Developing countries, especially in Africa, have asked for a long time to have permanent seats on the UNSC. The council currently has five permanent members: the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the U.K. These countries have the power to say “no” to decisions with their vetoes.
But Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. does not want new members to have veto powers.
This plan fits with President Biden’s larger goal to strengthen ties with Africa and to reduce China’s influence in the Pacific Islands.
For Nigeria, this could be a big deal. Nigeria has the most people in Africa and is very important politically. It could get one of the new permanent seats.
- Nigeria has helped keep peace in its region and has been a mediator in conflicts, making it a good leader for the UNSC.
- A permanent seat would give Nigeria more power to affect global decisions, especially those impacting African development and security.
- Africa now has three rotating non-permanent seats on the UNSC, but they do not have the same power as permanent seats.
- Thomas-Greenfield said that African countries need to be fully involved in the UNSC to solve global problems such as climate change, conflict, and terrorism.
What this means for Nigeria’s global standing
Having a permanent seat on the UNSC would make Nigeria much more important in world politics. Nigeria could help decide on big issues like peacekeeping, resolving conflicts, and fighting climate change.
- As a leading country in Africa with a history of participating in U.N. missions, Nigeria could push for policies that benefit Africa, such as economic growth, security, and fair climate policies.
- However, getting this change approved is not certain. The U.S. support is a big step, but there have been long talks about reforming the UNSC without any final results.
- But with more attention on UNSC reform, largely because the current council doesn’t work well, Africa might now have a better chance for representation.
Long way to go
Changing the UNSC is difficult and takes a long time. It needs changes to the U.N. Charter, which two-thirds of the 193 U.N. members must agree on. The five current permanent members with vetoes also need to approve it.
- U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for change, saying the current system is old and does not fit today’s world since it reflects a post-World War II structure.
- Guterres believes the UNSC has often failed to work well due to rivalries among powerful countries, like the ongoing war in Ukraine.
- As global power dynamics change, with countries like China and India wanting more say, Africa’s demand for permanent seats on the UNSC may gain more support.
Countries like Nigeria may need to work closely with other U.N. members to make this reform happen.