A (permanent) seat at the table of power: African leaders press U.N. for Security Council reform

They want to help make the decisions — not just watch them unfold. As in years past, African leaders attending the U.N. General Assembly this year are demanding a reform of the powerful Security Council that would include permanent seats for countries from the continent in the global body's highest decision-making structure. Many African heads of state who addressed the meeting since it began on Tuesday have decried the continent’s lack of permanent representation in the Security Council as it navigates global security issues that directly and indirectly affect their populations and governments. These include the war between Russia and Ukraine, the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and, more recently, the U.S. war with Iran — issues that all loom large at this year's General Assembly. The 15-member Security Council has five permanent members — the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and China — that hold veto power.