President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated calls for immediate changes to the UN Security Council, stating that the five countries should not be the only ones with veto power.
On Thursday, September 25, Mahama spoke before the UN General Assembly and characterized the post-World War II system as being out of date and unjustly concentrated in the hands of a few nations.
“Veto power should not be restricted to five nations, nor should it be absolute. 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 stated.
Mahama said that Africa, which consists of 54 member nations, would have at least one permanent seat on the Council if equality were maintained. He questioned why Africa was still being ignored, citing the UN Charter’s concept of sovereign equality.
Quoting Nelson Mandela’s 1995 appeal for the UN to “reassess its role, redefine its profile, and reshape its structures,” Mahama said little had changed three decades on.
“Today, we African leaders are still making the same request: for a permanent seat on the Security Council, with the power of veto. So, I ask again: if not now, then when?” he declared.
He also sought greater African representation and influence in international financial institutions and called for a reset of the global financial system, calling it rigged against Africa.