Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt has renewed its call for a comprehensive reform and expansion of the United Nations Security Council, emphasizing that such steps are essential to strengthening the UN’s central role in promoting international peace, security, and sustainable development. The appeal came as Egypt marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, a moment the country described as an opportunity to reassess the organization’s structures and ensure they reflect the realities of the modern world.
In a statement issued on Friday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the urgent need to update the UN system to align with global political and economic shifts. The ministry reiterated Cairo’s longstanding position that genuine reform must correct what it described as the “historical injustice” suffered by Africa and developing nations, which remain underrepresented in key international decision-making bodies.
According to the statement, Egypt fully supports the Common African Position, which calls for a fairer distribution of seats in the Security Council and greater African representation in both permanent and non-permanent categories. The country urged the international community to unite behind these goals, noting that an inclusive and representative Council would better serve the aspirations of all peoples for peace, security, stability, and development.
Egypt’s call reflects a broader global debate over the composition and functioning of the Security Council, whose current structure was established in the aftermath of World War II. The Council comprises 15 members—five permanent (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia), each with veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms on a rotating regional basis. Critics, including many in the Global South, argue that this arrangement no longer mirrors the geopolitical realities of the 21st century and that the veto mechanism often paralyzes collective action in times of crisis.
Cairo also highlighted its deep and longstanding engagement with the United Nations. Egypt serves as one of the organization’s main regional hubs, hosting 38 UN offices and employing more than 2,300 UN staff. The country has served six terms as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and ranks 13th globally in contributions to UN peacekeeping operations, reflecting its consistent commitment to multilateral diplomacy and the maintenance of global peace.
As calls for reform intensify worldwide, Egypt positions itself as both a voice for Africa and a bridge between the developing and developed worlds. Through its advocacy for a more balanced and representative Security Council, Cairo seeks not only to advance African interests but also to strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of the United Nations as a whole an institution that, in Egypt’s view, must evolve if it is to meet the complex challenges of the modern era.
