Africa is under-represented in global governance structures, sidelined from decisions that directly affect its populations. Its demands are clear: a greater role in rule-making and agenda-setting within existing global institutions. African leaders are calling for fairer representation, a stronger continental voice, and the freedom to choose bilateral relationships to suit national economic priorities.
Despite two decades of advocacy, following the African Union’s (AU) 2005 Ezulwini consensus, the UN Security Council (UNSC) still lacks a permanent African member – even though more than half of its deliberations concern conflicts on the continent. At the recent UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, president of Sierra Leone, Maada Bio – speaking as chair of the AU Committee of Ten on Security Council reform – called Africa’s exclusion ‘unjust and untenable’ and reiterated the common African demand for at least two permanent seats with full rights and two additional non-permanent seats. As calls for reform grow louder, this is increasingly being framed as a test of the UN’s credibility and commitment to fairness.
Africa also remains marginalized in global economic governance, with low voting power at the IMF and World Bank – despite its acute exposure to debt and climate shocks. Here too, there are renewed calls for reform. Speaking at the recent UNGA, Kenya’s president, William Ruto, warned that the current global financial architecture punishes poor countries with high interest rates and conditionalities, while rewarding rich nations with softer lending terms. He argued that reforming the IMF and World Bank is not a favour to Africa, but a necessity for their credibility and for global stability.
The 2023 accession of the AU to permanent membership of the G20 was a crucial breakthrough. Africa, at long last, is represented as a bloc in the premier forum for economic cooperation, alongside the European Union (EU). This moment reflects a growing consensus that the continent can no longer be sidelined. It also coincides with more African nationals taking up leadership positions in key global institutions, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Health Organization (WHO).
The G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2025 – the first on the African continent – will take place in the context of deep frustration over the continued exclusion of African perspectives. It is a historic opportunity to showcase African priorities: restructuring unsustainable debt, closing the $1.3 trillion annual climate finance gap for developing countries by 2035, and embedding the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in global trade frameworks.
But greater inclusion also brings new responsibilities. As international institutions begin to offer Africa more seats at the table, the continent must be prepared to meet the challenge. This means moving beyond mere visibility to exercising real influence – which requires coherence, strategic planning and the political will to act collectively. Clear pathways for such action include delivering financial independence for the AU, strengthening enforcement of continental frameworks like the AfCFTA, and investing in technical capacity to engage effectively in complex global negotiations on debt, trade and climate.
The importance of a collective voice
In practice, however, divergent national and sub-regional ambitions often undermine cohesion. African states often negotiate as individual actors rather than as a bloc within international organizations such as the WTO and the UN system – limiting the ability to mobilize Africa’s collective weight on key issues. Without a shared understanding that local and regional actions should reinforce, rather than fragment, collective positions, Africa risks weakening its own leverage.
The AU remains the continent’s most legitimate platform for global representation, but its credibility is often undermined by limited resources, slow decision-making and inconsistent enforcement of its own principles – on unconstitutional changes of government, for example. Still, the AU has shown strength where its mandate is clear – such as coordinating on health security during the COVID-19 pandemic and driving forward the AfCFTA.
Regional groups such as the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are closer to the ground and often quicker in responding to crises, but overlapping memberships, political rivalries and weak implementation limit their effectiveness. A key priority should be the reform of these regional institutions to improve their cooperation and resources – including drawing more on internal financial contributions by member states.
Aligning national strategies with collective goals is equally critical. Trade is a clear example: the AfCFTA can only succeed if governments harmonize tariffs, streamline customs procedures and invest in cross-border infrastructure. In defence, national investments in military capacity should be aligned with continental frameworks such as the African Standby Force, which remains underdeveloped but could provide a credible mechanism for African-led crisis responses.