New Delhi, Aug. 13 -- Underrepresentation of key regions in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is responsible for its failures, and giving Africa permanent membership will be essential to make the highest decision-making body effective, India declared at the UNSC.

Speaking on behalf of the G-4, the group of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, on Monday at an open debate of the Council on reforming itself, he said, "a primary reason for the underperformance of this critical institution remains the non-representation of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the under-representation of Asia-Pacific in the permanent category".

"We are convinced that African representation in both permanent and non-permanent category will be an i...