Mugabe reiterates call for UN Security Council to include African members

At the opening of the 26th African Union Summit on Saturday in Addis Ababa, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe yet again called for reforms of the UN Security Council saying Africa should have the same powers as permanent members.

“The bosses of the Security Council say you shall never have the powers that we have as permanent members, and we asked, and asked. Reform! reform the security council,” he said, awakening an applause.

“We will fight for our own identity and personality as Africans,” Mugabe added.

The Security Council has five permanent members. Amongst them, China, France and the United States – while Africa and non-aligned member states, ten in total, have none.

Attempts to launch formal negotiations on expanding the council have failed.

Mugabe said if the United Nations is to survive, all countries should have equal membership. A number of African countries have criticized the security council of being heavily skewed in dealing with matters concerning African.