The secretary-general has pressed for reform, saying the current structure fails to reflect modern geopolitical realities

The absence of a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council is "indefensible," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said. 

Speaking to leaders on Saturday during the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Guterres said the Security Council's structure does not correspond to today's world, stating: "This is 2026 - not 1946."

"Whenever decisions about Africa and the world are on the table, Africa must be at the table," the UN secretary-general stressed.

Guterres said the African Union (AU) has been a "flagship for multilateralism," and that the UN-AU partnership has grown in areas including peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights. 

He identified three priority areas for stronger collaboration with African countries: advancing peace efforts, driving economic progress, and addressing climate justice challenges.

The 55-nation AU has long sought permanent representation on the UN Security Council. In 2005, the organization formed the C-10 group, whose primary mission is to present, advocate for, and rally support for a common African position on Security Council reforms.

Calls for Security Council reform are longstanding among African leaders and regional bodies. The AU and others have argued that the current composition of permanent members - China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US - no longer reflects global demographics or geopolitical influence. 

Currently, ten non-permanent members, including from Africa, are elected for two-year terms. Somalia's seat will end in 2026, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia are serving for the 2026-2027 term. Algeria and Sierra Leone were previous African non-permanent members.

In September, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo told the UN General Assembly that the Security Council "no longer reflects the geopolitical balance of our world" and urged reform that would include permanent seats for Africa.

Kenyan President William Ruto echoed the call, pressing for at least two permanent African seats with veto power and two additional non-permanent seats. 

READ MORE: Russia calls for more global seats on UN Security Council

Russia has also expressed support for expanding Africa's role in global governance. "We [Russia] support African aspirations to secure a permanent seat within the UN Security Council," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in May.