Eleven African nations officially joined a French and Mexican initiative to restrict UN Security Council vetoes during mass humanitarian atrocities.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced the new endorsements on Tuesday during the high-level Africa Forward Summit held in Kenya.
This strategic expansion brings the total number of supporting states to 118, strengthening the global push for structural UN reform.
The initiative specifically targets the voluntary suspension of veto power during instances of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Launched originally in 2015, the proposal aims to prevent political stalemates from blocking urgent international interventions during lethal regional crises.
Barrot argued that the effectiveness of the United Nations must no longer be compromised by the calculated misuse of the veto.
The five permanent members—the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom—currently hold the exclusive power to block resolutions.
The move comes as the international community faces increasing pressure to address unpunished violence in conflict zones like Sudan and Gaza.
Supporters believe this collective pressure will eventually force a moral shift among the council’s most powerful and often divided members.
The diplomatic landscape is shifting as smaller nations demand a louder voice in the halls of global governance and security.
The signature of these African states adds a powerful, unified moral weight to the campaign for a more responsive UN.