United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made a powerful promise: before he leaves office in 2026, Africa will have two permanent seats on the UN Security Council (UNSC). This bold pledge, made during a visit to South Africa, could reshape the balance of global power and bring long-overdue recognition to Africa’s role in world affairs.

Guterres spoke to journalists in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital, on Wednesday, during his trip to the first African nation to hold the pres...