“It should not and must never be misinterpreted as an argument that Africa is not ready for permanent membership in the Council…such arguments have historically been deployed to deny Africa its rightful place in global governance.” – Ambassador Martin Kimani
Development Reimagined (DR) started the year with a bang and with an interesting discussion on global governance and the role of the African Union in reshaping multilateralism to suite Africa.
On the 22nd of January 2025, DR hosted a webinar “The African Union’s Role in Multilateralism: The United Nations Security Council” to discuss the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the role that the incoming African Union Commission Chairperson has to play to get the ball rolling. With a panel of experienced experts, the discussion was necessary given the reform of the UNSC is a discussion that has been mooted for far too long on the continent under the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.
The thought-provoking discussion guided by the moderator – Ms. Faten Aggad, Executive Director of African Future Polices hub. The panellists included:
- Ambassador Martin Kimani: Former Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN
- Ambassador Welile Nhlapo: Senior Political Advisor at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)
- Dr. Andrews Atta-Asamoah: Head of the Africa Peace and Security Governance Program at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
- Mr. Mike Liu: Vice President and Senior Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization
- Ms. Hannah Ryder: CEO of Development Reimagined
- Mr. Ovigwe Eguegu: Policy Analyst at Development Reimagined
The panellists approached the discussion from different angles but the need for Africa to get a grip on autonomous peace and security financing was discussed by several of the panellists including Amb. Welile Nhlapo. However, he also emphasised that Africa’s exclusion from the UNSC as a permanent member is an insult in history given that the exclusion is a colonial legacy.
Given that China is one of the permanent members of the UNSC – Mr. Liu noted that China supports Africa’s inclusion in the UNSC but emphasised that reforming the UNSC is a political discussion. Moreover, he said that Africa should focus on becoming economically stronger because, “No major power can ignore a continent that controls critical trade routes, energy resources, and emerging markets.”
Taking the direction that Mr. Liu took, Dr. Atta-Asamoah emphasised on home-grown solutions to the peace and security challenges that Africa faces. Ms. Hannah Ryder then explored ideas on reforming the UNSC – to make it more fit-for-purpose. She also emphasised that talk is not enough and that Africa needs to create coalitions, negotiate within the structures to create the change we want to see. She closed ended her presentation by saying, “If we want to be part of the rule-making process, we cannot wait for an invitation. We must be prepared to challenge, disrupt, and redefine the system itself.”
This eye-opening discussion gave the audience a chance to interact with the panellist and gave us food for thought on how to approach the reform of the UNSC – making it fit-for-purpose and inclusive for Africa!
The incoming AUC Chairperson faces a monumental challenge—ensuring Africa’s voice is not just heard but firmly embedded in global governance and multilateralism. Every candidate in the race has acknowledged the urgency of this task during their campaigns, but will the new Chair be able to build on the momentum set by H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, who not only secured Africa’s historic seat as a permanent member of the G20 and got the UNSC to agree to fund AU peace operations? Absolutely! Yet, the road ahead remains tough.
What’s next for Africa on the global stage?
Watch the full webinar here.