As reported by Reuters, the US is currently advocating to include two permanent seats for Africa on the UN council as well as a seat to be shared amongst small island developing states.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, is slated to make the announcement on Thursday.
This move, according to the report by Reuters, is intended to win Africa over, considering the continent’s displeasure with the US’s support for Israel in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
The move is also aimed at building upon its relationship with Pacific Island countries and is crucial to fending off Chinese influence in the area.
The US ambassador stated in an interview with Reuters that she hopes the revelation would contribute to Joe Biden’s presidential legacy, standing as an “agenda forward in a way that we can achieve Security Council reform at some point in the future.”
The effort to advocate for two permanent African seats and a rotating seat for small island developing nations complements Washington’s long-standing support for India, Japan, and Germany to be granted permanent seats on the council.
Russia’s opinion on the subject
He also stated that the move would help eliminate the historical injustice committed against Africa by the UN.
His point centered around the fact that the emergence of a “truly multipolar world” is unattainable without the involvement of African governments.
“Africa’s current position in the body does not correspond either to the total number of states on the continent or to its contemporary role in international affairs,” the Russian Foreign Minister had said at the time.
The Minister at the time also added that Russia is eager to expand its political imprint in Africa, as well as improve economic and humanitarian ties with the homeland, which is prepared to play a significant role in the growing multipolar world.
The UN Security Council is made up of 15 nations, with five permanent members (Russia, the United Kingdom, China, the United States, and France) and 10 non-permanent members who are chosen for two years.
