NIGERIA WOOING CARIBBEAN SUPPORT FOR THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT
The United Nations reforms which are being proposed
by current Secretary General, Kofi Annan will make provision for two
permanent security council seats for Africa as representatives of the black world in the council. Nigeria is currently competing for one of the two seats.
Nigeria deserves to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Because of her pivotal role in the leadership of Africa in the UN and in her commitment to the regional security and stable economy of Sub -Saharan Africa in peace keeping
operations, technical manpower development, energy and food security in West Africa.
Nigeria has been very active in the United Nations Organisation activities around the world including peace missions in Lebanon, Congo, Somalia, Western Sahara, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the 1960s to date. Nigeria is also actively participating in the ongoing peace effort in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Nigeria led 16 other West African-nations to form the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975. Then, Nigeria was concerned about the internecine conflicts of civil wars threatening their regional stability. And .Western nations were reluctant to get involved.in the internal political troubles of the region. The bloody civil war in Liberia prompted the ECOWAS to set up an armed Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in 1990.
Nigeria has spent over $13bn on ECOMOG peacekeeping operations in over 12 years. And hundreds of Nigerian soldiers have been killed in operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The fact is, Nigeria is a regional power in the geo-political map of the world. In fact, Nigeria will be of immense benefit to the UN Security Council in the strategic imperatives for the implementation of the UN resolutions for global peace. Therefore, Nigeria does not need to lobby for this position. Because, it is even long over due for Nigeria to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. It is not a contest. It is our right.
Nigeria and Egypt deserve the two new permanent seats earmarked for Africa on the United Nations Security Council.
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