President John Dramani Mahama has intensified calls for reform of the United Nations Security Council, insisting that any permanent representation for Africa must come with full veto powers.
Addressing the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, President Mahama said Africa’s continued exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council was no longer compatible with the realities of the modern international system.
He argued that the continent, with more than 1.5 billion people and the largest regional voting bloc in the UN General Assembly, deserved a permanent voice in the body responsible for major international peace and security decisions.
“Yet, Africa remains without a single permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. This is fundamentally unacceptable in the 21st century,” he said.
President Mahama stressed that African representation should not amount to symbolic participation, but should include “all the rights, responsibilities, and veto powers” attached to permanent membership.
He said the current structure of the Security Council was largely shaped by geopolitical realities following the Second World War and did not adequately reflect the composition of the contemporary international community.
“Security Council reform is not a favour to Africa; it is an imperative for the legitimacy, credibility, and survival of the United Nations,” President Mahama said.
The President also criticised the use of veto powers, arguing that they should not undermine the principles of sovereign equality and accountability within the international system.
“The veto power must never serve as a license for impunity,” he said. “Sovereign equality cannot be a privilege reserved only for nations aligned with global superpowers.”
President Mahama said Ghana would continue to support efforts towards a more equitable multilateral system, with stronger African participation in global decision-making.
He also linked the issue to Ghana’s forthcoming role in continental leadership, noting that the country is scheduled to assume the African Union Chairmanship in January 2027.
He said Ghana would use the opportunity to advance African integration and support efforts to strengthen the continent’s collective voice in international affairs.
