Africa’s continued lack of permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council is unjust and must be addressed, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

Speaking at the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly debate in New York on Tuesday, Guterres called for reform of the 15-member body to better reflect the modern global order. Africa remains the only continent without a permanent seat on the council despite accounting for more than a quarter of UN member states and every third child born.

“We must reform the security council ... A 21st UN security council without permanent African seats is unjust and indefensible. This must change,” the UN chief said.

The Security Council has five permanent members – Russia, China, the US, the UK and France – which hold veto powers, as well as ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. African countries – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Somalia – currently only participate through the latter category.

Earlier this month, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama renewed calls for permanent African representation on the Security Council, arguing that the continent’s continued exclusion undermines the legitimacy of the UN’s most powerful body.

“It is no longer acceptable for Africa to be excluded from permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council,” the leader said.

Other African leaders have made similar demands. In July, representatives of several countries renewed calls for the continent to be granted permanent representation on the Security Council, arguing that its current structure no longer reflects global realities. The African Union’s shared position calls for at least two permanent seats with the same privileges as existing members, including veto powers.

Calls for reform have also received support from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously backed expanding the Security Council to include greater African representation. 

In August, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that greater representation for the continent would help correct a historical injustice, arguing that any future expansion should primarily benefit African countries rather than Western states, which he said are already overrepresented.