Libya hosted the 14th ministerial meeting of the African Committee of Ten in Tripoli on Sunday, drawing senior diplomats to advance the continent’s long-running campaign for permanent representation and veto powers on the United Nations Security Council.
Acting Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour convened the meetings as Tripoli sought to anchor its return to multilateral diplomacy following years of severe institutional instability. The African Committee of Ten on UN Security Council reform opened its ministerial gathering in Tripoli, bringing together senior delegations from member states to finalize arrangements and debate structural changes to the international body.
Delegates Gather in Tripoli for the 14th Ministerial Session
The 14th ministerial meeting of the African Committee of Ten convened on Sunday, October 11, 2026, drawing representatives from ten member nations: Libya, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia, the Republic of Congo, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, and Equatorial Guinea. Prominent diplomatic personnel participated in the discussions, featuring Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba alongside Mohamed Adam Lino, Libya’s ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union.
Ahmed Attaf, minister of state and minister of foreign affairs, national community abroad and African affairs, represented Algeria at the high-level talks. Permanent representatives of Kuwait and the Netherlands also joined the sessions in their capacity as co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform.
Africa Fights for Permanent Representation
Established in 2005 during an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, the committee was created to promote and defend Africa’s common position on restructuring the United Nations.
The continent still lacks a permanent seat on the executive body, a disparity African states view as a historic imbalance in multilateral governance.
The current push centers on the common African position formulated at the 2009 African Union summit in Sirte, Libya. Under this framework, the continent insists upon two permanent Security Council positions endowed with full privileges—including the veto power for the duration of its existence—coupled with two extra non-permanent seats.
Libya Seeks a Security Council Seat and Proposes Action Roadmaps
For host nation Libya, the summit serves a dual purpose: reinforcing its continental commitments while pursuing an active seat on the Security Council. Al-Baour stressed that Africa must move beyond general political support toward concrete understandings with supportive nations and groups.
Tripoli suggested creating a collaborative implementation strategy for the panel, which would direct diplomats from member countries to engage in synchronized outreach directed at current Security Council permanent members, advocacy coalitions, and other key nations. The initiative features a regular evaluation system to track advancements and deliver a political assessment complete with targeted proposals to the subsequent African Union summit.
Diplomats Prepare for the Tripoli Summit
Mr. Rahman pledged his support during his tenure and expressed interest in attending the Tripoli ministerial gathering, noting the strategic priority the multilateral leadership places on African demands for equitable governance.