The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is getting roasted in Oxfam’s latest report for failing to shield African nations from rampant violence and chaos.
Consequently, the continent is grappling with skyrocketing humanitarian needs that the current funding isn’t even close to meeting. If something doesn’t change soon, the “Permanent Five” might as well be both “judge and jury.”
Titled “Vetoing Humanity,” the report delves into 23 of the world’s most stubborn conflicts over the past decade, 14 of which are rooted in Africa. Despite over 450 resolutions passed, with 354 targeting African conflicts, none have made a real impact.
It slams the five permanent UNSC members—China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US—for manipulating their exclusive voting and negotiating powers to advance their own geopolitical agendas. This selfish behavior is undercutting the Council’s role in safeguarding global peace and security. Particularly, Russia and the US are singled out for their misuse of veto power, obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine, Syria, and Israeli-Palestinian territories.
Despite Africa’s 54 countries and 1.4 billion people representing nearly a fifth of the UN’s membership, none have a permanent seat at the UNSC. This glaring absence in permanent representation weakens Africa’s say in significant global decisions.
Oxfam in Africa Director, Ms. Fati N’Zi Hassane, remarks, “The UN Security Council was built in an old colonial era and is plagued by deep inequalities that fail to reflect today’s world. Africa, suffering the most from climate change and conflicts, remains voiceless in global power circles. This has denied Africa chances for peace and sustainable development.”
The report critiques the UNSC’s “pen-holding” power, which lets members steer negotiations and influence the drafting, tabling, or ignoring resolutions according to their whims.
While France and the UK have refrained from using their vetoes in the past decade, they and the US have had a significant hand in two-thirds of the resolutions on the 23 crises Oxfam studied. France, for instance, took charge of drafting resolutions on African nations like Mali. However, Mali pushed back against French pen-holding in 2023, labeling it “acts of aggression and destabilization.” The resolutions on South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, and Libya have been mostly ineffective in bringing about durable peace.
This neglect of Africa, compounded by tangled geopolitical maneuverings and underlying causes, has wreaked havoc. Africa bears 50% of the 1.1 million deaths from conflict globally. Despite the Democratic Republic of Congo being the subject of 25 UNSC resolutions in the past decade, the UN mission there (MONUSCO) faces chronic underfunding and disarray.
Other initiatives don’t even see the light of day due to an inevitable veto, the report notes. Of the 23 crises examined by Oxfam, nearly half have less than five resolutions each over the last ten years, with no resolution on Ethiopia despite it being one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century, resulting in 380,000 deaths.
“Africa should chart its future, and the UNSC must enable Africa within the Security Council to tackle the immense humanitarian and security trials impacting millions across the region,” N’Zi-Hassane added.
The demand for humanitarian aid in Africa has exploded, quadrupling over the past decade, leading to a surge in funding needs. Between 2014 and 2023, UN-coordinated appeals for African nations ballooned from $10.07 billion to over $22.3 billion – yet less than half of this was fulfilled last year.
The report lambasts the dependency on voluntary contributions for humanitarian funding, contrasting it with the obligatory UN member state funding for peacekeeping operations. The UNSC’s primary focus on security often sidelines climate change impacts and essential long-term development like poverty eradication, healthcare, and education—key to stabilizing regions and preventing resource conflicts.
As the Summit of the Future kicks off this week to reimagine a revitalized UN, Oxfam demands sweeping UNSC reforms, including eliminating the veto power.
“We need a blueprint that aligns with today’s world and dismantles colonial remnants. This requires Africa to be a part of the conversation in the Council, with a renewed emphasis on long-term growth and climate security, crucial for meeting the continent’s urgent needs and achieving global justice. Efforts from the African Union are vital for pushing this agenda forward,” said N’Zi-Hassane.
