Finland has endorsed Kenya’s call for reform of the United Nations Security Council, giving President William Ruto a diplomatic boost as he prepares to press Africa’s case at the G7 summit in France next week.
During a two-day state visit to Helsinki, Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, described Kenya as an increasingly influential voice in global affairs and said Africa deserved a stronger role in shaping international institutions.
The endorsement touches on a long-running grievance across the African continent: that the UN Security Council, created in the aftermath of the Second World War, no longer reflects the balance of power in the 21st century. Africa, with 54 UN member states and a population of more than 1.4 billion, has no permanent seat on the council.
Speaking in Helsinki, President Ruto welcomed Finland’s support for change.
“I thank Finland for its principled support for the United Nations Security Council reforms,” he said. “We reiterate the need for a more representative and equitable Security Council, including fair representation for Africa in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership.”
The Kenyan president argued that global institutions had failed to keep pace with political and economic shifts around the world.
Asked whether the United Nations still mattered in its current form, President Ruto replied:
“Yes. We do not have an option.”
But he added that reform was unavoidable.
“We need reform. It is imperative, and it is not tenable for us to continue with it as it is. It is not just or fair.”
Kenya has long supported the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, African Union positions that call for at least two permanent African seats and five non-permanent seats on a reformed Security Council.
For Finland, the endorsement also reflects a broader defence of multilateralism at a time of growing geopolitical strain.
“Kenya and Finland are both strong supporters of multilateralism and the rules-based international order,” Mr Stubb said. “Kenya is a strong voice for Africa in efforts to reform and strengthen the multilateral system.”
He also praised Kenya’s expanding diplomatic role, citing its involvement in mediation efforts in Sudan and South Sudan, climate diplomacy and international security initiatives, including the multinational mission in Haiti.
A broader diplomatic campaign
The Helsinki talks form part of a wider diplomatic tour by President Ruto, who recently visited Belgium and Norway before heading to the G7 summit in France from 15 to 17 June. There, he is expected to push not only for UN reform but also for changes to the international financial system, including debt relief, climate financing and fairer access to development funding for emerging economies.
The campaign reflects a growing argument among African leaders that the continent should be treated not as a recipient of international policy, but as an equal participant in shaping it.
Alexander Stubb echoed that sentiment, calling Kenya “an active and influential player in promoting stability and economic development both regionally and globally” and describing it as “a middle power, a voice that needs to be heard around the globe.”
While Finland alone cannot change the structure of the Security Council, support from European governments adds momentum to a reform debate that has gathered pace in recent years. Any amendment to the UN Charter would require approval by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by all five permanent members of the council: the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France.
That reality means reform remains politically difficult. But Kenya’s growing diplomatic profile and backing from countries such as Finland, may help keep Africa’s demand for representation near the top of the international agenda.
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