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Mahama demands permanent seat for Africa on UN Security Council
25 September 2025
President John Dramani Mahama has renewed Africa’s call for permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the current structure does not reflect modern global realities.
Delivering his address to the 80th UN General Assembly on Thursday, September 25, President Mahama described the UN’s founding framework as outdated, particularly regarding representation and decision-making power.
“The most powerful post-World War II nations are still being rewarded with an almost totalitarian guardianship over the rest of the world,” he said. “If this were truly the case, a continent as large as Africa with its numerous UN Member States would have at least one permanent seat on the Security Council.”
He further questioned the fairness of the veto system, stressing that no single nation should wield unchecked authority.
“There must be a mechanism for the General Assembly to challenge a veto. No single nation should be able to exercise an absolute veto to serve its own interests in a conflict,” he told the Assembly.
Referencing Nelson Mandela’s 1995 address to the UN, Mahama noted that Africa’s demand for reform has remained unresolved for three decades.
“So, today, Madam President, I stand here in this exact spot, asking: if not now, then when?” he declared.
Beyond Security Council reform, the Ghanaian leader also called for a reset of the global financial architecture, which he said continues to disadvantage Africa. He urged that the continent be given a stronger voice in multilateral financial institutions to ensure fairer economic governance.
