Mozambique has assumed its position on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), commencing a two-year term that it was voted to alongside Ecuador, Japan, Malta, and Switzerland in June.
Mozambique joins Ghana and Gabon on the council, with Kenya retiring at the end of its term in December. They are non-permanent members of the 15-member body.
Ten of those countries are decided by a UN membership vote, with the remaining five being permanent members: the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom.
Mozambique is still dealing with its own security issues, including the fight against radicals in the Cabo Delgado region, as well as long-standing economic and monetary difficulties. It has also had a long recovery from the devastating tropical storms that wrecked Beira and the surrounding areas.
Mozambique’s President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi is among those who have advocated for more UNSC representation and a rebalanced council to better reflect Africa’s position in the global community.
That has long been a source of concern for the African Union and its member countries, as expressed in the Ezulwini Consensus since 2005. Africans have pushed for amendments that would give African states two permanent members on the council and two more nonpermanent seats, but those aims have never been met.
During the December U.S.-Africa Summit, US President Joe Biden expressed his support for UNSC reform. It has already received backing from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and others.
