Russia reaffirms Africa’s bid for permanent seat at UNSC

Addis Ababa, August 9, 2024 (FBC) – Russia has reiterated its supports to the quest of African countries for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.

Russia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Evgeny Terekhin told ENA that the current composition of the UN Security Council is unjust and does not reflect the global reality.

Africa with over a quarter of the United Nations membership is grossly underrepresented in the Security Council, and this is a historical injustice that must be rectified, the ambassador added.

“Every year it is getting even clear to everyone that many years ago, when the United Nations Organization was established, there was an injustice made regarding African countries. I mean that African countries, which constitute by now more than a quarter of the voices in the United Nations, are deprived of a permanent seat in the Security Council.”

According to him, the UN founding in an era when only two or three African nations were independent contributed to this imbalance.

The world has changed dramatically since then, Ambassador Terekhin stated, adding that it is high time to correct this anomaly.

“Almost 80 years have passed, the global situation has radically changed; and it is high time to correct this political and historical injustice,” he noted.

Moreover, the ambassador pointed out that the UN Security Council frequently addresses African issues, making it imperative for the continent to have a permanent voice in decision-making.

Therefore, Russia has been expressing support for the principles outlined in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, which advocate for African representation on the Security Council.

“We support African countries to get their place in the Security Council, 70 percent of the agenda is towards African problems. So it is natural that we support the general principles envisaged in Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.”

However, Ambassador Terekhin cautioned that any expansion of the Security Council should be approached with care.

We must avoid inflicting damage to the UN system, he underscored, adding that the current composition, with three permanent members representing the West, is already skewed. Admitting additional Western powers like Japan and Germany would exacerbate this imbalance.

“The composition is already distorted in favor of the West, and at the same time we are witnessing attempts to admit to the permanent membership of two more Western countries such as Japan and Germany.”

The ambassador stressed the importance of careful consideration before making changes. “We should measure our steps many times.”

Recall that some countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, have been advocating for a reform of the UN, especially the Security Council.