UNGA79: Nigeria demands seat on UN Security Council

Nigeria’s Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru says Nigeria has earned the right to join the UN Security Council after contributing to 41 peacekeeping missions, deploying more than 200,000 troops.

Badaru said this in his speech at the Summit of the Future interactive dialogue 2, titled: “Enhancing Multilateralism for International Peace and Security,” on Sunday in New York, US.

The summit is part of the events during the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

Badaru, who also spoke to State House correspondents at the Nigerian House in New York, said Nigeria has long been committed to international peace and security.

“Since our first deployment in Congo in 1960, Nigeria has contributed to 41 peacekeeping missions worldwide,” he said, highlighting the deployment of more than 200,000 Nigerian troops in UN operations.

Badaru called for reform of the UN Security Council to ensure that Africa was represented with permanent seats, which he said would enhance global stability.

“Nigeria has remained unequivocal in its commitment to international peacebuilding and security since the first deployment of its troops to Congo in 1960.

“To date, Nigeria has contributed to 41 peacekeeping missions worldwide, with over 200,000 Nigerian troops serving in UN peacekeeping missions,” he said.

According to the minister, Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping missions in several countries within the framework of regional and sub-regional cooperation.

According to him, these include Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Sudan and Sierra Leone.

He said Nigeria has contributed a lot in terms of finance, logistics, troops and civilian experts, making it one of the top African troop and police contributors to United Nations missions.

“It is on this basis that Nigeria continues to push for reform of the United Nations Security Council to give Africa fair representation on a permanent basis for inclusiveness and deepening of global peace and security,” he said.

The Defence Minister stressed the importance of building professional African armies to combat terrorism and called for the operationalisation of the African Standby Force.

He also stressed the need for comprehensive strategies to tackle transnational crime and illicit arms trafficking, particularly in the Sahel region.

He urged the global body to take decisive steps to defuse tensions and find a peaceful way to resolve conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. (NAN)