The announcement provides U.S. support to permanent council seats for African nations, though not new veto powers. But the path to adding members requires far more than White House approval.

The United States supports creating two permanent United Nations Security Council seats for African states and one seat to be rotated among small island developing states, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

The United States called Thursday for two permanent seats on the UN Security Council to be reserved for African nations, alongside a rotating seat for small developing island nations. In addition, "the United States supports creating a new elected seat on the Security Council for small island developing states,