President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has thrown his full support behind the move to grant Africa two permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling it a long overdue step towards global equity.
Speaking from State House, Museveni emphasized that Africa with its 1.4 billion people and growing influence deserves a stronger voice in global decision-making.
His endorsement comes as momentum builds among African leaders to push for meaningful reforms at the UN challenging the dominance of the five current permanent members China, the United States, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom.
For decades, African nations have been advocating for a greater role in global governance arguing that the current UNSC structure is outdated and favors former colonial powers.
Despite making up more than a quarter of UN member states and contributing significantly to UN peacekeeping missions, Africa remains sidelined in key decisions that affect the continent.
Museveni echoed these frustrations, stating, “How can a continent of over a billion people be excluded from the most powerful decision-making body in the world? This is not just an African issue; it’s a question of justice and fairness.”
Africa’s inclusion would be a groundbreaking shift in international diplomacy. It would allow African nations to influence resolutions on conflicts, sanctions and peacekeeping missions many of which directly impact the continent.
The reform is part of the broader Ezulwini Consensus a unified African position calling for two permanent seats with full veto powers and at least five non-permanent seats.
However, the path to reform is steep. Changing the structure of the UNSC requires approval from two-thirds of the UN General Assembly including all five permanent members some of whom may resist losing their exclusive grip on power.
While many African leaders and activists celebrate the proposal, some argue that merely having two seats may not be enough to counterbalance the dominance of Western and Eastern powers.
Others question which African nations would occupy these seats, warning that power struggles within the continent could complicate the selection process.
Opposition figures in Uganda have also called for internal democratic reforms arguing that true representation on the world stage must be backed by strong governance at home.
“We need to ask ourselves: Are we fighting for African voices to be heard, or just for our leaders to have more influence?”
The proposal will be discussed further in upcoming African Union (AU) and UN meetings as African nations rally international support.
