Al-Menfi calls for permanent African seats on UN Security Council

The President of Libya’s Presidential Council of Libya, Mohamed al-Menfi, has renewed calls for comprehensive reform of the United Nations Security Council, declaring that Africa remains the only continent without permanent representation despite its growing global weight.

Speaking during a special working session of the Committee of Ten on Security Council Reform in Addis Ababa, al-Menfi said Africa represents a pivotal human and economic force within the international system, yet continues to face structural exclusion at the highest level of global decision-making.

The meeting forms part of ongoing African Union efforts to strengthen the continent’s presence and influence within the United Nations framework.

Al-Menfi highlighted Africa’s expanding role in the global economy, pointing to its vast natural resources, increasing integration into international trade, and rapid demographic growth. He also underlined the historical and ongoing contributions of African communities worldwide to human progress.

He urged member states to uphold the Sirte Declaration and the Ezulwini Consensus, which articulate a unified African position on Security Council reform. The proposals call for correcting what African leaders describe as a historic injustice by securing two permanent seats with full veto powers, alongside two additional non-permanent seats, reflecting the continent’s demographic size and growing geopolitical significance.

“The unified African position is a fundamental pillar that cannot be compromised,” al-Menfi said, stressing that reform of the Security Council is no longer optional but an urgent necessity to restore balance and fairness within the international system. Any restructuring, he added, must take into account shifting geopolitical and economic realities.

Libya is participating in the discussions as a founding member of the Committee of Ten. According to al-Menfi, tangible progress has been made in negotiations surrounding African Union demands, grounded in the Sirte and Ezulwini frameworks — a development he said reflects a shared political determination among African states to recalibrate the balance of power within global governance institutions.