The United States announced its support for expanding the United Nations Security Council to include two permanent seats for African nations and a new rotating seat for small island developing states.
This proposal on Thursday marks a significant step in the ongoing debate about reforming the Security Council to better reflect contemporary global dynamics.
US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, outlined the proposal during a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. This initiative builds on US President Joe Biden’s previous call for expanding the 15-member Security Council, a stance articulated two years ago. The move aims to enhance the representation of African countries, which currently hold three non-permanent seats on the Council but lack permanent representation.
Thomas-Greenfield emphasized that the proposed permanent seats for Africa would provide the continent with a more substantial and consistent role in the Council’s decision-making processes. However, she clarified that the US opposes granting veto power to these new permanent seats, citing concerns that expanding veto power could exacerbate dysfunction within the Council.
The Security Council, established in 1945, has not seen changes in its membership structure since its formation. It currently consists of 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms and five permanent members— the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—who hold veto power. The debate over expanding the Council to include more permanent members has been ongoing, reflecting a broader consensus that the Council should evolve to address modern global challenges.
In addition to the proposal for African permanent seats, the US supports the creation of a rotating seat for small island developing states. These 39 nations, which represent diverse regions including the Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea, are seen as crucial contributors to discussions on international peace and security, particularly in relation to climate change.
The US also continues to advocate for permanent seats for Germany, India, and Japan, and is supportive of additional permanent representation for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, the specifics of these proposals remain under discussion.
Reforming the Security Council to include these new seats requires amending the UN Charter, a process that necessitates approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly, including the current five permanent members. The US plans to draft a resolution to advance these reforms and engage in text-based negotiations to refine the proposal.
The Associated Press, Reuters, and the Hill contributed to this report.
