Luanda: Angola on Thursday reiterated the importance of reforming the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, to 'correct the historical under-representation of Africa' in the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The position was defended by Minister of Foreign Affairs T©te Ant³nio in an exclusive interview with ANGOP in Luanda, on the occasion of Angola's participation in the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, taking place from 22 to 28 September in New York, United States.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Government official considers the process of Security Council reform indispensable and urgent, as the United Nations architecture largely reflects the geopolitical reality of 1945 rather than that of today's world. 'More than 80 years on, there is an evident mismatch between the political, demographic and economic weight of various regions and their representation in the main bodies of the global organisation,' he said.
He stressed that this mismatch is evident because Africa, despite being one of the regions most affected by the Council's decisions and making a significant contribution to peacekeeping operations, does not have a single permanent seat, a situation the African Union considers a historical injustice that must be corrected. Africa is seeking at least two permanent seats for African countries, with all the prerogatives of permanent members, including the right of veto for as long as it exists, as well as five non-permanent seats, with the African Union determining the African representatives to occupy those positions.
'The reform is being discussed within the General Assembly's Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), but for many years the process has remained practically deadlocked due to disagreements over fundamental issues, such as how many new seats there should be, who should occupy them, whether there should be new permanent members, what role the veto should play and how regional representation should be arranged,' he explained. The minister recalled that Angolan Head of State Joo Louren§o, while serving as President of the African Union, drew attention in 2025 to the slow pace and excessively procedural nature of the negotiations, arguing that two decades of discussions without concrete results was already excessive.
He said the African Union continues to reaffirm its common position and has determined that African states should make Security Council reform a priority in their interventions at the 81st General Assembly and in their relations with international partners. This means that the challenge now is to move from widespread recognition of the need for reform to a concrete political decision. However, he said United Nations reform should be broader and not limited to the Security Council, as there is also a need to improve the representativeness and effectiveness of the General Assembly, strengthen the system of international economic and financial institutions and improve mechanisms for conflict prevention, human rights and development.
'A credible reform should be based on three principles, namely representativeness, effectiveness and equity. It is not enough simply to increase the number of members; it is necessary to ensure that the Council is capable of taking decisions and that those decisions have greater legitimacy in the international community,' he stressed. For T©te Ant³nio, there is a contradiction that cannot be ignored, as the United Nations is intended to be a universal organisation while its principal security body maintains a structure that permanently excludes an entire continent, something that affects the legitimacy of the Council itself.
He therefore considers that Angola should continue to firmly support the common African position, helping to preserve the unity of the continent while seeking to build alliances with other regions and states that share the need to reform the system. 'The question should no longer be whether the Security Council should be reformed, but when and how that reform will take place. The longer we delay, the greater the risk that the United Nations will lose credibility precisely when the world most needs a strong multilateral system,' he stressed.
On another front, the minister said Angola would place issues such as development financing, debt, food security, climate change, industrialisation and the need for greater participation by African countries in international decision-making on its agenda. He said Angola would use its presence in New York to deepen bilateral relations, build consensus and promote Angolan and African positions, stressing that the country had actively participated in discussions on the presidency of the 81st General Assembly, speaking on behalf of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).
'Angola should not go to the General Assembly merely to react to the international agenda. It should seek to help shape it. The country's experience in conflict resolution, mediation and the promotion of regional peace can give it a voice of its own,' he stressed. Angola should also defend its priority interests and, for this particular session, the promotion of the candidacy of Ambassador Josefa Sacko for the post of Director-General of the FAO constitutes an objective of national interest and interest to the African continent, as she is the only candidate endorsed by the African Union, according to the minister.
He stressed that Angola is expected to play an active, coherent and pragmatic role, combining the defence of national interests with the promotion of African priorities and the strengthening of multilateralism - a role that 'does not end with the speech at the General Debate, but translates into alliances, initiatives and concrete results throughout the session'.
