Institutions, like people, must find new ways to evolve as they age. The United Nations Security Council should be no different.
In New York last month, world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly to deliver recommendations on international issues, among them a growing call for reform of the international system.
The world today is different from when the United Nations was founded in 1945. As the structure of global governance has evolved, we must reform the international system to reflect our current geopolitical realities.
One idea, proposed by the United States Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is to expand the Security Council. This would include the addition of two permanent seats for Africa, the reservation of one seat on the council for small island developing states, and the United States’ continued support of permanent seats for Japan, Germany, and India.
Tasked with recommending the admission of new U.N. members to the General Assembly, the Security Council is designed to maintain international peace and security. But its current structure reflects a bygone era. The five permanent members (P5)—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia—enjoy veto powers that often stymie collective action in the face of global crises. Today’s international order is far more complex, with emerging powers and regional alliances taking on a greater role in global security, trade, and diplomacy.
Members of the United Nations Security Council attend a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question on October 16, 2024 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
To remain legitimate and effective, the Security Council must expand to include nations that better represent the current geopolitical landscape. This requires not only additional permanent seats but also broader reforms to ensure more equitable representation and efficiency in decision-making.
The United States has shown a willingness to support such reforms, and we must now work to include additional seats for both emerging economies and traditional powers in underrepresented regions, including Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Why Africa? Simply put, the region is a focal point for 21st-century geopolitics. It is home to over a billion people, some of the world’s fastest growing economies, and critical maritime routes that drive global trade. The region also sits at the center of strategic competition between major powers like the United States and People’s Republic of China, with significant players like Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, and others serving as essential partners in the broader security architecture.
Adding a permanent seat for two African countries to the Security Council is not just symbolic; it is a recognition of the region’s strategic influence. Such a move would ensure that African perspectives on global security issues—from countering violent extremism to climate change—are represented at the highest level and would provide the Council with a more balanced geopolitical outlook, especially in discussions involving global security challenges, namely the Russia-Ukraine War, terrorism, and the growing threat of climate-induced migration and instability.
Furthermore, the United States has recognized that its security interests are deeply intertwined with those of its partners in Africa and beyond. Washington’s support for Security Council reform aligns with its broader strategy of building and strengthening alliances to tackle shared global challenges. By advocating for the inclusion of additional permanent seats, particularly from regions like Africa, the United States demonstrates its commitment to a rules-based international order that is fairer, more representative, and more resilient.
In working with emerging global leaders, the United States can foster a coalition of like-minded democracies that uphold international norms and promote peace and stability. An expanded and reformed Security Council would better reflect the diversity of global power structures and enable more collaborative and effective responses to crises like terrorism, human rights abuses, and climate change.
A small island seat would help balance China’s growing influence on the Council as well and reorient issues close to the heart of these most vulnerable nations. As the United States continues to compete with the People’s Republic of China for influence around the world, providing a seat at the table for those with lesser influence could promote a more nuanced approach to addressing multifaceted threats to our collective security.
Reforming the Security Council is no longer an option but a necessity. By working with its allies and partners, the United States can help lead the way in shaping a more just, effective, and representative global order, ensuring that the Security Council remains relevant and responsive to the crises of today and tomorrow.
The world is watching, and it is time for the U.N. General Assembly to act. Now is the moment to reform the Security Council. In doing so, we ensure that the international system remains a force for peace, justice, and cooperation.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) is the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party and represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
