US Supports 2 Permanent UN Security Council Seats for Africa

In an important announcement made on Thursday, the United States declared its support for two additional permanent seats for African countries in the U.N. Security Council and a first-ever non-permanent seat for a small island developing nation. This significant move was revealed by the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield during her speech at the Council on Foreign Relations. 
 
The decision serves as an extension of President Joe Biden's previous statement about expanding the 15-member body, which he announced two years ago. Despite Africa having three non-permanent seats currently on the Security Council, these positions do not permit African nations to fully utilize their knowledge and voices in council deliberations, according to Thomas-Greenfield. 
 
She further elaborated that this is why they are advocating for not just non-permanent membership but also creating two permanent seats specifically designated for Africa within the council—an initiative that aligns with what their African partners desire and what they believe is equitable. 
 
However, it’s worth noting that while Washington supports expansion of member states in terms of representation within the council, it does not advocate extending veto power to new permanent members. A senior administration official stated anonymously ahead of this announcement that granting veto powers could lead to even more deadlock situations within this already powerful institution—a clear indication of how much influence Washington wishes any other country should have. 
 
This sentiment reflects upon one crucial aspect: although resolutions passed by the Security Council carry legal weight worldwide—they often go unheeded by targeted countries—showing limitations in their enforcement abilities despite being legally binding under international law. 
 
There's widespread consensus among global states regarding modernizing and enlarging the Security Council—which has remained unchanged since its formation post-World War II—to reflect contemporary times better and include more diverse voices from around the globe. But disagreements persist over how best to achieve such reforms. 
 
The current configuration includes five permanent members—US, Russia, China, Britain, and France—who hold veto powers, along with ten non-permanent members chosen from various world regions for two-year terms. It's notable that Russia's veto power has historically hindered council actions on Ukraine, while US support for Israel has limited the council’s response to the Gaza conflict. 
 
Efforts to reform began in 1979 but have been repeatedly marred by deep divisions among member states regarding how best to expand its membership—a situation reflected when three rival resolutions were shelved by the General Assembly in 2005. 
 
In a historic move last year, President Biden called for increasing both permanent and non-permanent seats—including those nations long supported by the US, such as Germany, Japan, and India, along with countries from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. 
 
Thomas-Greenfield did not specifically mention Latin American and Caribbean inclusion during her speech—however, an official confirmed that Washington continues supporting these regions' representation within the Security Council. In addition, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also announced the U.S.'s support for creating an additional rotating seat specifically for small island developing nations, acknowledging their crucial insights into international peace and security issues, including climate change impacts. 
 
She further revealed plans of drafting a resolution aimed at reforming the council despite some countries arguing about reaching common ground before initiating any reforms—an issue she acknowledges will never reach total consensus but remains optimistic about it nonetheless.