Explained: Why Africa may miss out on UN Security Council seat

United Nations Security Council (UNSC). [Courtesy]

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has recently gained renewed attention, with conversations on Africa’s inclusion picking up momentum.

The council is composed of five permanent members, Russia, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and France, each wielding veto power. This means any of them can unilaterally block a resolution, even when the others are in agreement, to protect their national interests. The other 10 seats are non-permanent and distributed regionally.