Kenyan President William Ruto demanded permanent African representation on the UN Security Council on Monday, warning that international institutions are failing to keep up with a changing world.

"Africa cannot remain the only continent without permanent representation in the institution and trusted with international peace and security. Put it differently, a continent of 54 countries and more than 1.4 billion people cannot remain at the margins of decisions central to global peace and security. International law cannot be a shield for some and a restraint for others. But defending the charter does not mean defending every institutional arrangement created 80 years ago. Principles can be permanent, while institutions should evolve."