Sudan wants non-Western states on expanded UN Security Council

KHARTOUM, Oct 10 (AFP) — The Sudanese government declared its support for proposed reforms to the UN Security Council but said an expanded body should include nations from Africa and Latin America rather than more Western states.

Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail told reporters that Khartoum was opposed to the admission of a country such as Germany because there were already three Western states with permanent seats on the council.

“Admission of another Western nation only adds to the hegemony presently exercised by the West on the Security Council,” Ismail said, noting that neither Africa nor Latin America is represented and the vast Asian continent is represented only by China.

“We cannot accept adding a new European member while other continents are not represented,” he said, adding that African nations would go to the Security Council “in agreement, rather than divided, on who will represent the continent.”

The council has had the same five permanent members with veto power — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — since the United Nations was established after World War II.

Ten other nations are elected for two-year terms each.