UN chief demands financial reform, African Security Council seats

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday demanded sweeping reforms to global governance structures, calling for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council and an overhaul of international financial institutions that he said were originally designed to serve wealthy nations.Guterres told attendees at the Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum in New York that the continent was a "double victim of colonialism," noting that historic subjugation prevented African nations from participating when post-World War II international institutions were established. The UN chief argued that both the Security Council and multilateral financial bodies fail to reflect Africa's demographic weight and interests, asserting that the continent must be granted permanent seats to participate directly in global decision-making.Addressing economic transformation, Guterres noted that global markets are undergoing a fundamental structural transition from simply doing business in Africa to "doing business with Africa."