China to help Africa get permanent Security Council seat

Africa and China are planning to join forces in an attempt to secure a permanent seat for the continent at the UN Security Council.

The move, announced in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Friday, comes ahead of a joint high-level China and African summit to be held next year. In preparation for the summit, a delegation of 20 Chinese officials - including the deputy foreign minister - will visit Ethiopia next week.

The aim is to ensure that the continent has a stronger voice within the UN, said Haile Kiros, head of the Ethiopian parliament's foreign affairs commission and special envoy to the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

“The UN is an unfair institution in terms of participation,” Haile told a press conference at the Ethiopian foreign ministry. “It marginalises Africa. We have no say in the Security Council. It is being dominated by the very few. Whatever is decided in the Security Council we have to accept it."

“We have agreed with the Chinese that collectively the Africans and the Chinese will work together to restructure the UN so that Africa can play its role in the UN,” he said.

A two-day meeting will be held in Addis Ababa next week to draw up an agenda for the ministerial conference to be held in Ethiopia in November next year.

“We hope to benefit in terms of health, education and capacity building,” Haile said.

He added that the private sector would also play a key role in economic talks to foster greater relations between China and the continent.