President John Dramani Mahama has renewed his call for Africa to be given permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council, saying the continent’s exclusion reflects longstanding inequalities in global governance.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, 2026, President Mahama said reform of the international system must address historical inequalities that remain embedded in global power structures.
He argued that Africa’s growing population and influence within the international community make its continued absence from the permanent membership of the Security Council difficult to justify.
President Mahama noted that Africa is home to about 1.5 billion people, representing more than 18% of the world’s population, and has the largest regional voting bloc in the UN General Assembly.
He therefore called for the continent to have a permanent seat on the Security Council with the same rights and responsibilities as other permanent members.
“The injustices of the past remain embedded in today’s power structures. Africa is home to 1.5 billion people. Over 18% of humanity and constitutes the largest regional voting bloc in this General Assembly and yet Africa remains without a single permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
“This is fundamentally unacceptable in the 21st century. Africa must be granted permanent representation on the UN Security Council, complete with all the rights and responsibilities.”
The call comes amid ongoing discussions on reforming the Security Council to make it more representative of current global realities.
The UN has also identified Africa’s underrepresentation as a key issue in the reform debate.
