China gives support to Africa push for seat at G20, UN Security Council

Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Beijing’s envoy in Brazzaville each addressed the issue at separate events in Ethiopia and the Republic of the Congo

African Union leader says representation is a ‘burning issue’ for the continent, but observers believe G20 membership will be easier to achieve

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The African Union has been pushing for decades to win representation on international bodies like the UN Security Council. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00pm, 28 Jan 2023

Chinese diplomats have flagged Beijing’s support for greater representation of Africa at the G20 and the UN Security Council, but observers have questioned whether the latter can be achieved.

The issue was discussed by the Chinese ambassador to the Republic of the Congo Ma Fulin and Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, the country’s international cooperation minister, ahead of a January meeting of ministers and leaders from the Committee of 10 (C10) in Brazzaville.

“We discussed the importance of reforming the United Nations Security Council to ensure greater representation of Africa, including securing two permanent member seats with veto power,” Nguesso said.

The C10 member states – Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, the Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Zambia – are pushing for Security Council reform.

Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said the Brazzaville meeting assessed the progress of the negotiation process on reforming the council.

“This [was] in light of efforts to promote the unified African position that insists on the need to allow the continent to obtain two permanent seats in the UN body and increase its representation in the category of non-permanent seats, from three to five seats,” Lamamra said.

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