AFRICAN LEADERS PUSH FOR PERMANENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEATS WITH VETO POWERS. (PHOTO).

 African leaders push for permanent UN Security Council seats with veto powers

African leaders attending the UN General Assembly this year are demanding a reform of the powerful Security Council that would include permanent seats for countries from the continent in the global body's highest decision-making structure.

Many African heads of state who addressed the meeting since it began on Tuesday have decried the continent’s lack of permanent representation in the Security Council as it navigates global security issues that directly and indirectly affect their populations and governments.

According to most African leaders, the unfair representation in the Security Council has created doubt about the credibility of the organisation and its commitment to multilateralism and equality among nations.

“Every nation is sovereign and equal under the (UN) charter. Yet, on the gravest question of war and peace, five nations possess a permanent power that the other 188 do not. The equality proclaimed in this assembly ends at the doors of the security council,” Kenyan President William Ruto told delegates on Wednesday, AP reported.

They have also highlighted the large African population and the high number of African countries that are member states of the United Nations.

“How can a world led with a right conscience justify the denial of 1.6 billion Africans, the right to equal representation?” asked Ethiopia’s president, Taye Atske Selassie.

The 15-member Security Council has five permanent members — the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and China — that hold veto power.

Other nations, which do not, are elected by the General Assembly and rotate in and out every two years on a staggered basis. Africa holds three of those nonpermanent seats.