Sep 24, 2026
2 min read
President Irfaan Ali has renewed calls for reform of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that Latin America and the Caribbean should have permanent representation on the powerful body.
Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Ali said the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflects the geopolitical realities of the world.
“We need a Security Council that reflects the geopolitical realities of the 21st century, not the power structures of 1945,” Ali said.
He called for a Council that recognises an increasingly multipolar world, “including permanent representation from Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — which each hold veto power. The remaining 10 seats are held by countries elected for two-year terms.
Guyana served as an elected, non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2024–2025 term.
Ali placed the call for expanded representation within a broader push for reform of the United Nations, arguing that multilateral institutions must change to respond to current global challenges.
“The world has changed and multilateralism must change with it,” he said.
The President also called for a more transparent, accountable and responsive United Nations, as well as a stronger role for the General Assembly.
His remarks came as he argued that declining confidence in multilateral institutions could instead provide an opportunity to reshape the UN.
