South African President says Africa’s exclusion from permanent UNSC membership is neither just nor sustainable…reports Africa Daily News. Desk
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying Africa’s absence from permanent membership was neither just nor sustainable.
Addressing the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Ramaphosa highlighted Africa’s growing demographic and political significance, noting that the continent has 54 UN member states and represents nearly one-fifth of the world’s population.
“Africa accounts for 54 member states of the United Nations and nearly one-fifth of humanity, yet Africa remains without permanent representation on the Security Council of the United Nations,” he said.
Ramaphosa called for reforms that would make the Security Council more representative, accountable, transparent and effective.
He also warned that the relevance of the United Nations and the durability of the multilateral system were being challenged by violations of the UN Charter and the use of war to resolve disputes between member states.
Against this backdrop, he said BRICS had assumed greater importance in the evolving geopolitical landscape.
“The greatness of BRICS lies not in the fact that we are the same, but precisely in the fact that we are different,” Ramaphosa said, stressing that the grouping brings together countries from different continents, civilisations, political traditions and stages of development.
He said the diversity of BRICS members could serve as a source of unity rather than division, allowing countries to cooperate while retaining their sovereignty and pursuing their national interests alongside broader global interests.
Ramaphosa said BRICS represented a world in which countries would not be forced to choose between East and West or North and South. Instead, he described the grouping as a model for a multipolar world with multiple centres of power and a shared commitment to development, dignity and a more equitable international order.
The BRICS leaders’ session on Saturday was held under the theme “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism”.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), leaders spoke from their respective national perspectives but demonstrated broad convergence on the need to strengthen global governance institutions and make them more representative, inclusive, effective and responsive to contemporary realities.
Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary of Economic Relations at the MEA, said BRICS leaders reiterated their support for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, with greater representation for developing countries.
The leaders also backed reforms to the international financial architecture to provide developing countries and the Global South with a stronger voice, he said.
Dalela added that the discussions reaffirmed the core principles underpinning BRICS cooperation, including mutual respect, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness and consensus. Differences among members, he said, would continue to be addressed through dialogue and consultations.
