During the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), African nations, led by Kenyan President William Ruto, intensified calls for permanent seats in the powerful United Nations Security Council (UNSC). President Ruto highlighted the current exclusion as outdated and a threat to the UN's credibility, noting that African issues dominate the UNSC's agenda despite the continent lacking a permanent seat.

• Call for two permanent seats for Africa in the UNSC.
• President William Ruto spearheaded the appeal at the UNGA on Wednesday, September 24.
• Permanent membership grants veto powers and significant global influence over peace and security decisions, a privilege currently held by five permanent members: the United States, United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia.

President William Ruto was honored as the Global Champion of Adequate Housing for All at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he advocated for stronger multilateralism and significant reforms within the UN system.

• Kenya's Affordable Housing Programme aims to build 200,000 units annually, with nearly 170,000 units currently under construction, creating 320,000 jobs.
• President Ruto proposed a Coalition of Global Housing Champions to address the global housing crisis and urged the UN to adapt to current realities.
• He criticized the UN's "deepest crisis in credibility and capacity" and called for an overhaul of the international financial architecture and permanent seats for Africa in the Security Council.

During his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, President William Ruto issued a stark warning that the UN must reform or risk irrelevance, emphasizing the need for a modernized Security Council and an overhaul of the global financial system. He strongly advocated for Africa's representation, demanding two permanent seats with full veto rights.

• Ruto proposed two permanent seats for Africa, with full rights including veto power, plus two additional non-permanent seats on the Security Council.
• He cited Kenya's leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, highlighting its achievements despite operating under-funded and below 40% of authorized strength.
• Kenya has achieved 93% of its electricity from renewable sources and champions Africa's role in climate solutions, calling for the global community to unlock $300 billion in climate finance.

President William Ruto met with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss security, particularly the situation in Haiti, hours after Ruto delivered a critique of global decision-making at the UNGA.

• Both leaders urged urgent UN action to establish a Gang Suppression Force and a UN Support Office for Haiti.
• The meeting also reviewed opportunities for U.S. investment in Kenya’s key sectors.
• Rubio lauded Kenya’s contributions to Haiti’s security, as confirmed by Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
• Ruto had previously criticized the international community for inadequate support for Kenya’s Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, highlighting logistical challenges and the provision of "second-hand vehicles."
• The United States is reportedly pushing to double foreign forces to over 5,000 officers in Haiti.