Kenyan President William Ruto used his visit to New York to insist on the need for Africa to have permanent representation on the UN Security Council.
The president spoke at the seventh summit of the Committee of Ten, a body created by the African Union to coordinate the proposed reform of the organisation. Before other heads of state, he denounced the continent's exclusion as reflecting a historical inequality that undermines the legitimacy of the United Nations.
Ruto recalled that a good part of the conflicts that reach the Council's agenda take place in Africa, as well as underlining that African countries are pillars in peacekeeping operations. Despite this, the continent lacks a voice in strategic decisions and remains relegated to rotating representation.
The so-called "African Common Position" proposes that the continent obtain at least two permanent seats with full rights, including the right to veto. For the Kenyan president, this step would balance the global power structure and respond to security challenges more justly.
The debate on Security Council reform has been going on for more than three decades without tangible results. The various proposals have been held back by the lack of consensus among the current permanent members, which maintain privileges acquired after the Second World War.
The issue will be one of the main topics at the 80th UN General Assembly, which takes place from 22 to 30 September in New York. More than 200 countries are taking part in a meeting where African representatives are seeking to put the demand for a greater role for the continent back on the international agenda.
Source: swissinfo.ch