Kenya’s Ruto Demands Permanent African Seats on UN Security Council

Kenya’s President William Ruto used his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly to demand a fundamental overhaul of the UN Security Council, declaring that Africa’s continued exclusion from permanent membership is “unacceptable and indefensible.” He argued that the Council’s structure, created in the aftermath of World War II, no longer reflects global realities and undermines the UN’s credibility.

Ruto called for Africa to be granted two permanent seats with full rights, including the veto, as well as additional non-permanent seats. He anchored his demand in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, long-standing agreements that articulate Africa’s collective position on Security Council reform. He stressed that African states bear an unfair amount of the Council’s agenda. Providing peacekeepers, mediating conflicts, and supplying resources yet remaining at the sidelines when decisions are made.

President William Ruto cautioned that the United Nations will lose its relevance if it keeps making key decisions on global peace, security, and development without including African countries in the process. He stressed that the UN cannot truly call itself a United Nations while ignoring the collective voice of all 54 African nations.

Ruto explained that Africa is often at the centre of the UN’s agenda whether it is peacekeeping, conflict resolution, or development programs yet the continent has no permanent seat at the decision-making table. According to him, this imbalance weakens the organisation’s credibility and makes its decisions feel distant and unfair to millions of Africans.

He urged African governments to stand together and speak with one voice, reminding them that unity is the only way to win lasting reforms. Ruto also noted that with a permanent seat would come serious responsibilities, such as contributing more to global security efforts and actively shaping international policies. Africa, he said, must be ready to take on those duties when the opportunity arrives.

Ruto’s remarks resonated across the continent and drew attention from global observers who see a growing push for institutional reform. But amending the UN Charter requires approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by all five current permanent members, a political hurdle that has derailed previous reform efforts. Still, Ruto’s speech signaled a renewed African determination to secure a meaningful seat at the world’s most powerful diplomatic table.