Africa Wants Entry to U.N. Halls of Power

South Africa's Jacob Zuma fancies a bigger role for the continent on the Security Council. Will he get his wish?

(The Root) -- South African President Jacob Zuma made a rousing speech last week at the United Nations, invoking Nelson Mandela and praising the virtues of inclusion, democracy and equal representation.

He argued for Africa to be admitted to the United Nations' most powerful body, the U.N. Security Council. In an argument that not so subtly referenced the evils of apartheid -- he led by thanking the U.N. for condemning apartheid and quoting the country's iconic freedom fighter -- he called for four new seats for African nations.

That includes two permanent seats, letting continental states into the elite five-member club occupied by the traditional post-World War II powers: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., all of which have veto power. He also called for Africa to be given five nonpermanent seats, up from its current three. Zuma also seemed to imply that if Africa had a seat on the council, it would be better attuned to Africa's issues and interests.

"Given its mandate, the council has to be legitimate, democratic and transparent," hetoldtheassembledheadsofstate, who included U.S. President Obama. "Its current composition has a propensity for deadlock and paralysis even in the face of crisis. It remains unrepresentative and undemocratic in both its composition and decision making."

Zuma has claimed he has numbers on his side. He said some 70 percent of the council's agenda deals with the African continent. While that figure is debatable, it is clear that much of the Security Council's work is in the African continent, including many of the past and present U.N. peacekeeping operations.

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