AU Countries Endorse Nigeria for UN Security Council
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
By Paul Ohia
Nigeria was unanimously endorsed Thursday by African Union members in
the nation’s quest to become a non-permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) in October.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, who disclosed
this after a closed door meeting with other foreign ministers at the
African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, said the major hurdle now is
to convince other regional groupings like the European Union,
Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Caribbean countries
and similar bodies.
“Previously, we had convinced ECOWAS to support us and then we engaged
in vigorous campaigns among other African countries and with the
endorsement we received today, they would come out and vote for us
during the election in October,” Ashiru said.
However, he said Nigeria still has a lot of work to do outside Africa
in terms of convincing similar regional groupings like the African
Union.
“This is because we need two-thirds majority in order to be formerly
voted into the Security Council as a non-permanent member,” the minister
stressed.
According to him, the strategy would be to let the other countries of
the world know that Nigeria has been endorsed by the African Union and
this would give the country a lot of mileage in getting their support.
“Once we have received the endorsement of our regional organisation, it
is a lot easier to get the support of groups from outside Africa,”
he explained further adding that the other organisation would also demand that Nigeria supports their sundry bids within the United Nations.
he explained further adding that the other organisation would also demand that Nigeria supports their sundry bids within the United Nations.
He said that the UN Security Council is the highest legislative body in
the world which any country craves to be part of and countries who
would like to be in the council in ten years time have started their
campaigns now.
Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan held a bilateral meeting with
his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk in Abuja where Tusk accepted to
back Nigeria’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Both leaders agreed that they would work together in order for Nigeria to secure the UNSC seat.
Currently, there are 10 non-permanent members at the UNSC, which
together with the five permanent veto-wielding members - US, UK, France,
Russia and China, make up the 15-member body, which are empowered by
the UN Charter to ensure maintenance of international peace and
security, investigate disputes that may escalate and the formulate plans
for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments.
The 10 non-permanent members that Nigeria seeks to join are: Argentina,
Australia, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Morocco, Pakistan,
Rwanda, South Korea, and Togo.
Nigeria has been a member of the UN since October 7, 1960.
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