No Representation, No Peace: The African demand for a reformed Security Council

Overview

No Representation, No Peace exposes how Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership on the UN Security Council continues to undermine global peace and security. Drawing on case studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Sahara, the report shows how decisions taken without African representation have fuelled implementation failures, sidelined local voices, and entrenched injustice. It presents Africa’s unified Common Position—rooted in the Ezulwini Consensus and championed by the African Union’s Committee of Ten—which calls for at least two permanent seats for Africa with full veto rights, five non‑permanent seats, and sweeping reforms to make the Council more democratic, transparent, and accountable. Aligning with Oxfam’s Vetoing Humanity findings, the briefing outlines a six‑point agenda to secure Africa’s permanent voice, abolish the veto, strengthen AU–UN cooperation, and centre women and affected communities in peace processes. It is a call to correct historical injustice and build a fairer multilateral system.