BRICS Declaration Backs Africa's Bid for Permanent UN Security Council Seats

A declaration issued by the BRICS bloc has expressed support for Africa's aspirations to obtain permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council, according to a report by TASS, the Russian state news agency.

The declaration states that Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, reaffirmed their support for Brazil and India's ambitions to play a more significant role within the United Nations, including on the Security Council, TASS reported.

TASS did not provide further details in the excerpt regarding the specific mechanisms proposed for African representation or the timeline for any potential changes to the Security Council's structure.

The UN Security Council currently consists of five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom — along with ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. Calls for reform of the council, including expanded representation for African nations and a greater role for countries such as Brazil and India, have been a recurring theme in international diplomatic discussions in recent years.

The BRICS bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa among its members, has periodically issued joint declarations addressing global governance issues, including UN reform, as part of its broader stated goals.