President William Ruto just arrived in New York under the crisp autumn sky, joining other African leaders for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. One of his key engagements was the 7th Summit of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the UN Security Council (C‑10), a meeting convened by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio.
Stepping onto the podium before a gathering of Africa’s principal voices—among them President Bio, President João Lourenço of Angola (also the AU Chair), Namibia’s Vice President Netumbo Nandi‑Ndaitwah, and the Chair of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf—Ruto made the case for urgent reforms. He emphasized that Africa’s ongoing exclusion from permanent seats on the UN Security Council is “unacceptable and indefensible,” arguing that the present structure undermines the UN’s credibility in a world facing escalating conflict and crisis.
But Ruto’s speech did not merely restate grievances: he called on African states to unite behind what is known as the Common African Position, pushing for at least two permanent and five non‑permanent seats for Africa on the Council. Alongside the demand for inclusion, he urged member states to begin planning for the responsibilities that come with permanent membership—transparency, criteria for selection, accountability, and readiness to contribute meaningfully to global peace and security mandates.
Further, Ruto used the summit to stress that reform of international institutions must accompany broader global economic transformation: fair access to development finance, more inclusive multilateral systems, and recognition that Africa carries much of the burden of global crises—from peacekeeping to climate change—even as it remains under‑represented in decision‑making arenas.
At the close of the summit, President Ruto’s tone was hopeful yet firm: the summit marked not just another meeting, but a turning point. He reaffirmed Kenya’s unwavering support for the Common African Position, urged collective African action, and insisted that the time for reform is now.
