NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 14 — Rwandan President Paul Kagame has stressed the need for comprehensive reforms within the African Union (AU) before Africa can fully benefit from the U.S. proposal to support two permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seats for African nations.
Kagame argued that these seats should reflect the continent’s collective interests, suggesting one be held by the AU Commission and the other rotate among African countries.
His call follows warnings from Ambassador Martin Kimani, Executive Director at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, who urged strategic caution. Kimani highlighted the risk of division if Africa pursued UNSC seats without first addressing internal reforms within the AU.
He expressed concerns that without proper reforms, the U.S. offer could lead to infighting and manipulation by global powers, fragmenting Africa’s unity.
Kimani emphasized that Africa’s priority should be internal unity and AU reform, enabling the continent to demand its rightful place on the UNSC through a strong, unified voice. He called for accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and strengthening the AU’s Peace and Security Council to enhance decision-making and security on the continent.
The U.S. proposal for UNSC reform was voiced by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who expressed support for a more inclusive and representative Council. Currently, three non-permanent UNSC seats are allocated to African nations on a rotating basis for two-year terms. However, Thomas-Greenfield emphasized that these elected seats do not allow African countries to fully contribute to the Council’s work.
Kagame and Kimani agree that AU reform is essential before pursuing UNSC seats to ensure Africa’s collective voice is heard on the global stage.
Source: capitalfm
