Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged comprehensive reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), emphasizing the need for greater African representation at a high-level summit held in Lusaka, Zambia.
Speaking on June 3 at the 13th Ministerial Meeting of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10), Mudavadi highlighted Africa’s persistent exclusion from critical global decision-making platforms. He reiterated the continent’s demand for at least two permanent seats on the Security Council, noting that Africa’s population of 1.4 billion remains significantly underrepresented in international governance.
The C-10, an African Union-established bloc comprising Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia, advocates for a unified African position on UNSC reform. The group calls for restructuring the Council to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and Africa’s rightful place in global peace and security affairs.
In his address, Mudavadi also raised the issue of reparations, underscoring the importance of addressing historical injustices and the lingering effects of colonialism on the continent.
The summit, held from June 3 to 5, takes place amid renewed demands from African leaders for more equitable international governance systems. Mudavadi is also scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with senior Zambian officials and ministers from other African nations on the sidelines of the event.
African nations have expressed growing dissatisfaction with their limited influence in global peace and security decisions, despite their substantial contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations and bearing disproportionate impacts from international conflicts.
Established by the African Union in 2016, the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government Championing Education, Science, and Technology in Africa (C-10) primarily focuses on advancing education, science, technology, and innovation as catalysts for Africa’s socio-economic transformation under the AU’s Agenda 2063.
Since its inaugural summit in November 2018 in Malawi, the C-10 has concentrated on implementing key continental strategies, including the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024), the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025 (CESA 16-25), and the Continental Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Strategy. These initiatives aim to improve educational outcomes, foster innovation, and build capacity across Africa.
