TheNewsGuru

Tag: Security Council

  • Scrap the veto and democratise the Security Council – By Owei Lakemfa

    Scrap the veto and democratise the Security Council – By Owei Lakemfa

    UNITED Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, as usual, told us what we already know. On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, he announced that: “Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon”. But, sadly, he is behind the news because hell is not breaking, it has already broken loose in the Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, and has merely expanded its occupation into Lebanon.

    Guterres should know this because 220 UN staff in Gaza along with 174 of my colleagues in the journalism profession, have already been despatched from the hell that is Gaza.

    Then he made a Freudian slip. As part of his suggestion to stop the war, he declared that the Lebanese state “must have full control of its weapons” throughout the country. He added: “We support all efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces.”

    What the UN chief is saying is that Hezbollah, the Lebanese party Israel claims it is fighting, should be disarmed. So, in whose interest will this be? In that of the Lebanese people who are being subjected to the type of genocide going on in the Palestine, or Israel which, without Hezbollah, would annex Lebanon as it did to East Jerusalem, or occupy it as it is occupying the Palestine and the Syrian Golan Heights?

    This is not a theoretical conception as it has occurred twice. Israel had in 1982 invaded Lebanon in the name of cross-border pursuit of Palestinian fighters. This, in 1985, became a full-blown war in which it seized many parts of Lebanon, including its capital, Beirut. Although Israel later withdrew, but for 15 years, it continued to occupy parts of Lebanon which it called its “security zone”. It was forced to leave on May 24, 2000.

    Then, six years later, it again invaded Lebanon, this time from July 12, 2006 to August 14, 2006. However, it could not continue its occupation due to the armed resistance of Hezbollah which had come to replace the collapsed Lebanese military. In other words, but for Hezbollah, Lebanon would have been another Gaza or West Bank under Israeli occupation with settlers from Europe building illegal settlements.

    Gueterres is supposed to be a peace maker. But the mind-set of a peace maker should be to work for an immediate ceasefire, not advocate the disarming of one side of the conflict.

    The Gueterres position of disarming Hezbollah does not tally with that of Lebanon which sees the Israeli attacks as a blatant violation of its sovereignty and human rights.

    Mohammad Najib Azmi Mikati, President of Lebanon’s Council of Ministers, said Lebanon is the “victim of an electronic cyber aggression and of an air and maritime aggression that can turn into a ground aggression and can become an all-out regional war”.

    US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron along with Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement saying: “We call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement.”

    It seems to me a matter of common sense that since the Israeli War in Palestine is linked with that in Lebanon, a ceasefire on all fronts is what is required. The question is: what happened to the UN Security Council, UNSC, June 2024 ceasefire resolution on the war in Gaza? Fourteen of the 15-Member UNSC had passed that resolution which the USA guaranteed Israel would obey, but the latter said the USA was talking nonsense.

    So, the issue is not a ceasefire; the fact is that Israel operates outside international laws, resolutions and conventions because it has the solid backing of the USA. It gets away with whatever actions it carries out, including genocide. All attempts over the decades to make Israel obey international court rulings and UN resolutions have been foiled by the USA. The latter has used its Veto in the UN 85 times, 47 of them were to shield Israel from international resolutions, charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.

    Coincidentally, the renewed war in Lebanon is coming when the world is discussing the expansion of the UNSC to accommodate more permanent members. The USA, claiming to love Africa, is campaigning that two of those seats should go the continent because as its Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said: “It’s what our African partners seek, and it’s what we believe is just.” But, trust the American establishment, there is a caveat: provided the new members would not have the Veto! It is like saying a person should be allowed to own a cannon provided he will not have balls. The magnanimous USA would tolerate Africans at the UNSC Permanent Security court provided they are eunuchs: castrated men.

    The Veto power derives from Article 27 of the UN Charter which provides that: “Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote; Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members (and) Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members, including the concurring votes of the permanent members…”

    In other words, the power of the UN permanent members is principally based on their power to veto any issue in the organisation. To have the veto is to have the power to override any decision of the UN even if backed by the 192 other member countries.

    Incredibly, some are debating whether this should be accepted or not since half bread is better than none; supposing the half-bread is poisoned?

    The Veto in practice is used as a personal weapon by the permanent members which include three European countries: France, United Kingdom and Russia; one Asian, China and, one North American, USA. Shut out of this exclusive club are regions like Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America.

    The Veto, itself, is a violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter which states that: “The Organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.”

    The most fundamental reform that can be carried out in the UN is to scrap the Veto power. The UNSC should, of course, continue its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, provided it is democratised with no permanent seats.

    The proposed reforms of the UN system are part of the “Pact for the Future” resolution passed on Sunday, September 22, 2024. The five planks of the Pact are international peace and security; sustainable development; youth and future generations; science and technology; and transforming global governance.

    For the Pact to truly impact on humanity, the UN must be reformed and reoriented based on equality for all and social justice.

  • UNGA79: Nigeria demands UN Security Council seat

    UNGA79: Nigeria demands UN Security Council seat

    Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, says Nigeria has earned the right to become a member of the UN Security Council after contributing to 41 peacekeeping missions, deploying over 200,000 troops.

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

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

    Badaru, who also spoke with State House correspondents at the Nigerian House, New York, said Nigeria had a longstanding commitment to international peace and security.

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

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

    “Nigeria has remained unequivocal in its commitment to international peace building and security, since the first engagement of its troops in the Congo in 1960.

    “To date, Nigeria has contributed to 41 peacekeeping operations worldwide, with over two hundred thousand Nigerian troops serving in UN peacekeeping missions,” he said.

    According to the minister, under the regional and sub-regional cooperation, Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping operations in field missions in several countries.

    He said the countries included Cote dIvoire, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Sudan and Sierra Leone, among others.

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

    “It is on this basis that Nigeria continues to call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council to give just representation to Africa on a permanent basis for inclusivity 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 operationalisation  of the African Standby Force.

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

    “We recognise the need for Africa to build strong and professional armies, in order to, among other things, defeat terrorism.

    “Nigeria, calls for the operationalisation of the African Standby Force (ASF), and provision of requisite support and resources to ensure the upgrade, take off and effectiveness of a centre of excellence in Africa on issues of counter terrorism,” said Badaru.

    He called for strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation to build the capacities of Member States and promoting cooperation and understanding.

    He urged the global body to take decisive steps to defuse tensions, and seek peaceful settlement of disputes to resolve conflicts, especially in the Middle-East and Ukraine.

    The minister reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to combating transnational organised crime.

    He emphasised the urgent need for comprehensive strategies that include prevention, early detection, protection, and law enforcement to address the rising alliances between bandits and terrorists.

    “We must scale up our efforts,” he stated, highlighting the alarming trend of kidnappings for ransom and acts of piracy.

    Badaru called on the international community to intensify efforts to control the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in conflict zones, particularly in the Sahel region.

    He warned that unrestricted access to illicit arms by non-state actors exacerbates insecurity and instability.

    “We seize this opportunity to urge the international community to renew efforts to stem the tide of small arms and light weapons in conflict, especially within the Sahel region,” he said.

    Badaru reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to supporting UN efforts in combating terrorism and promoting global peace.

  • UN General Assembly presses Security Council to consider Palestine’s full membership

    UN General Assembly presses Security Council to consider Palestine’s full membership

    The UN General Assembly, in a meeting convened on Friday in New York, has urged the Security Council to give “ favourable consideration”  to Palestine’s request

    The emergency special session on the Gaza crisis overwhelmingly passed a resolution that upgrades Palestine’s rights at the world body as an Observer State without offering full membership.

    Aid operations have come to a standstill since the start of the military’s ground operation in Rafah this week, with an estimated 100,000 Palestinians displaced once again in a highly fluid situation, according to humanitarians.

    The President of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, said from this podium of the Assembly Hall that the Israel-Palestine crisis was the original crisis before the world body when it was founded in 1946.

    Peace has remained elusive, and today has become an untenable situation that is deteriorating “at an alarming speed”, he told delegates.

    This is “bringing countless innocent victims into its deadly fold and pushing the region further to the brink of full-scale catastrophe”.

    He urged the international community to not look away from the dire situation that has unfolded since the October 7 terror attacks and the ensuing Israeli devastation of Gaza.

    “Today, let us remember the legacy from which we hail. We stand proudly upon the shoulders of those who, many decades ago, recognised their ultimate responsibility to forge a peace that will banish the scourge and terror of war,” he urged.

    “I therefore call upon the membership to purposely assess the situation before us, with nothing else in mind but a commitment to peace as our utmost ambition,” he said.

    He called upon the parties to the conflict, supported by nations with leverage, to urgently come to an agreement on a ceasefire to bring to an end to the suffering of countless people and secure the release of all hostages.

    “We must believe in the essential goodness of others,” he said, and “in the understanding that no problem of human relations is insoluble”, calling on them to help bring lasting peace, save lives and end the violence.

    Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil, in his statement, recalled General Assembly resolutions adopted over the years that reaffirmed the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination.

    “The resolution presented today is fully in line with those resolutions. It seeks to implement the will of the international community and contribute to building true peace in the Middle East based on the two-State solution,” he said.

    “It is high time for the international community to re-establish the truth because the world can no longer ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people that has lasted for decades,” he added.

    Ambassador Alwasil further noted Israel, the occupying power, has perpetrated “all sorts of crimes” against Palestinian people, scorning international law.

    “Israel is convinced that they are above these resolutions and that they enjoy a certain level of immunity…which explains their ongoing hostile and brutal policies,” he said.

    He highlighted the dire situation in Rafah, the last refuge for the Palestinian people which was also densely populated by those displaced from elsewhere and called he for a strong international position to put an end to the Israeli practices in Gaza.

    Concluding his statement, the Ambassador expressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting the right of Palestinian people to self-determination and to build their own independent State within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant resolutions.

    Explaining the U.S.’s negative vote, Ambassador Robert Wood said that it did not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood.

    “We have been very clear that we support it and seek to advance it meaningfully. Instead, it is an acknowledgement that statehood will come from a process that involves direct negotiations between the parties,” he said.

    “There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and future as a democratic Jewish State. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live in peace and dignity in a State of their own,” he added.

    He further expressed the U.S. commitment to intensifying its engagement with Palestinians and the rest of the Middle East region to advance a political settlement that will create a path to Palestinian statehood and subsequent membership in the UN.

    “This resolution does not resolve the concerns about the Palestinian membership application raised in April in the Security Council…and should the Security Council take up the Palestinian membership application as a result of this resolution, there will be a similar outcome,” he said.

    Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdan said that after Hitler’s rise to power, the Nazis had sought to annihilate the Jewish people and all those they deemed sub-human, but the forces of good fought to return peace to the world, and the UN was founded to ensure that such tyranny never raised its head again.

    “Today, you are doing the opposite…welcoming a terror State into its ranks,” he said.

    “You have opened up the United Nations to modern-day Naziism. It makes me sick.”

    The terrorist group Hamas controls Gaza and has taken over areas of the West Bank, he said, holding up a poster showing Hamas’s leader, who he described as “a terrorist diplomat whose stated goal is Jewish genocide”.

    “Today, you have a choice between weakness and fighting terror,” he said, adding that the UN is appeasing “murderous dictators” and destroying the UN Charter. “This day will go down in infamy.”

    Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the observer State of Palestine, recounted the devastating impacts of the ongoing war in Gaza, with over 35,000 Palestinians killed, a further 80,000 injured and over two million displaced.

    “No words can capture what such loss and trauma signify for Palestinians, their families, their communities and for our nation as whole,” he said.

    He added that the Palestinians in Gaza have been pushed to the “very edge” of the Strip “to the very brink of life” with “bombs and bullets haunting them”.

    Mansour highlighted that despite the attacks and destruction, the flag of Palestine “flies high and proud” in Palestine and across the globe, becoming a “symbol raised by all those who believe in freedom and its just rule”.

    “It is true that we will not disappear, but the lives lost cannot be restored,” he stated.

    The Permanent Observer said people have to make a decision: stand by the right of a nation to live in freedom and dignity on its ancestral land, standing with peace and recognising the rights of Palestinians or they can stand on the sidelines of history.

    Mansour said after holding observer status for 50 years, “we wish from all those who invoke the UN Charter to abide by the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination guaranteed by the Charter.”

    “A ‘yes’ vote is a vote for Palestinian existence; it is not against any State, but it is against attempts to deprive us of our State,” he added, stating that it would be an investment in peace and empowering the forces of peace.

    The meeting  is expected to re-reconvene on Monday in New York.

  • Israel-Hamas: Security Council rejects resolutions by U.S., Russia

    Israel-Hamas: Security Council rejects resolutions by U.S., Russia

    On Wednesday, China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution sponsored by the United States, while a second Russian-backed resolution failed to secure sufficient votes.

    The Security Council failed to reach a compromise over any unified response to address the crisis in Gaza and Israel.

    The U.S.-led draft resolution failed to pass owing to a negative vote by permanent Security Council members, China and Russia

    Ten members of the Council voted for the draft resolution and three against (China, Russia and UAE), with two abstentions (Brazil and Mozambique).

    A ‘no’ vote from any one of the five permanent members of the Council stops action on any measure put before it.

    The body’s permanent members are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

    A second draft resolution, led by Russia, was not adopted as it failed to secure a sufficient number of votes in favour.

    Four Council members voted in favour (China, Gabon, Russia and UAE), two against (UK and US), and nine abstained (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland).

    For a resolution to be adopted, it must be supported by at least nine members of the Council.

    The similarly worded resolutions would have called for a “humanitarian ceasefire” or “humanitarian pause” to enable safe delivery of aid for desperate civilians.

    Both drafts condemned the terror attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians on October 7.

    They called for urgent action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where fuel is due to run out for hospitals and other crucial services, in a matter of hours, according to UN agencies on the ground.

    Key differences in the text included a specific mention in the U.S.-backed proposal of the States’ inherent right to self-defence and a call in the Russian-led one for the immediate cancellation by Israeli forces of the evacuation order for civilians to head into southern Gaza.

    Draft resolutions do not represent the official position of the 15-member Security Council until adopted.

    Reacting, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed deep disappointment in the vetoing of the U.S. resolution by China and Russia.

    The U.S. stands ready to work with all Member States to support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General, President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, she said.

    Expressing dismay after the Russian resolution fell, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzy of Russia regretted that, once again, the Council had failed to respond to the unprecedented conflict in the Middle East, NAN reports.

  • Israeli-Hamas conflict: UN Security Council to consider resolution on ceasefire

    Israeli-Hamas conflict: UN Security Council to consider resolution on ceasefire

    The UN Security Council is expected to consider a draft resolution led by Brazil, calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.

    The council had on Monday in its first intervention in the Gaza crisis voted down a resolution led by Russia, calling for a humanitarian ceasefire.

    In spite of the setback, diplomatic efforts are in full swing as ambassadors prepare to consider another text on the unprecedented crisis.

    The 15-member body that oversees peace and security issues, is expected to decide on a second draft resolution, led by Brazil.

    While it does not officially represent the position of the council until adopted, the proposal aims to mitigate existing humanitarian suffering, establish corridors for safe aid delivery, and protect UN and other humanitarian workers struggling to provide life-saving aid to the people of Gaza.

    While both texts seek a humanitarian pause, there are key differences, including reportedly over the major point of contention in the Russian draft – explicit mention of the extremist group Hamas which controls Gaza.

    Russia’s ambassador told the emergency meeting on Monday that Western powers opposing its resolution had “stomped” on hopes of de-escalation, while the U.S. ambassador said that in failing to condemn Hamas, Russia was “giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalises innocent civilians.”

    In the hope of agreeing on unified action – never more important than during a time of international crisis – ambassadors usually seek to build support through resolutions, laying out a clear path.

    Rival or parallel drafts of resolutions are common, leaving delegations to hammer out the details and soften the edges, often behind closed doors.

    If common positions can’t be reached, the draft goes for a vote, where it either passes, or – as on Monday night – is rejected.

    Meanwhile, UN officials continue to engage with all actors involved in the widening crisis, to de-escalate tensions, establish safe zones, and provide essential aid and medical support to those in urgent need.

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to arrive in Egypt on Thursday to meet President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and others.

    World leaders are also making appeals to de-escalate, with the White House announcing President Joe Biden’s high stakes visit to Israel and Jordan beginning Wednesday, in a show of solidarity with partners in the region.

    UN and other humanitarian agencies have worked round the clock to preposition aid since the latest war between Israel and Hamas broke out following the militant group’s surprise Oct. 7 attack on several locations inside Israel, and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war.

    Thousands have reportedly been killed on both sides and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee south inside Gaza, where the southern frontier remains closed so far to vital aid.

    UN staff, primarily with the Palestine refugees agency (UNRWA), as well as medical personnel and aid workers, have also lost their lives.

    Concerns loom over the potential for the violence to spill over into neighbouring countries, destabilising the entire region – and beyond.

  • Poland opposes Germany on permanent UN Security Council seat

    Poland opposes Germany on permanent UN Security Council seat

    Poland has opposed Germany gaining a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday.

    The proposal, made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is “rather strange and a great disappointment” from Poland’s point of view,  according to Blaszczak.

    Kiev seems to have forgotten that Germany did not initially come to Ukraine’s aid at the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, he said.

    Blaszczak said that Germany should first take responsibility in its relationship with Poland for the destruction caused during the World War II.

    “The demand for war reparations that we made to Germany is still valid,” Blaszczak said.

    Zelensky spoke out in favour of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council for Germany on Wednesday.

    There are 193 UN member-states.

    Five countries – the U.S., China, Russia, Britain and France – have permanent seats on the security council and can veto all decisions.

    There are then 10 non-permanent members elected to two-year terms.

    In October 2022, Poland’s national conservative PiS Government demanded Berlin to pay 1.3 trillion euros (1.38 trillion U.S. dollars) in World War II reparations in a diplomatic note.

    However, Germany rejects any demands for reparations.

    It considers the case closed due to the 1990 Two Plus Four Treaty, which regulated the foreign policy aspects of German unity.

  • Terrorism is top priority as Ghana assumes Presidency of UN Security

    Terrorism is top priority as Ghana assumes Presidency of UN Security

    Ghana on Tuesday assumed the Presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for November as debates on violent extremism and terrorism in Africa top its agenda.

    Amb. Harold Agyeman, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations in New York, said this while briefing correspondents at the UN headquarters on the programme of work and Ghana’s priorities during the month.

    The Security Council, which is composed of 15 Member States, is the organ of the UN authorised by the Charter with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

    Ghana shall preside over the meetings of the Council (adoptions, debates, and consultations) and, under its authority, shall represent the Security Council in its capacity as an organ of the United Nations within this month.

    Agyeman said the two major challenges in Africa are violent extremism and terrorism, noting that most of the programmes will focus on the debates on addressing the challenges.

    He said the debates would focus on addressing those challenges in line with its priority for leadership of the Security Council, which is enhancing global peace and security for sustainable and inclusive development.

    “We will organise two debates on peace and security in Africa. First, we will have a debate on Thursday on“ Peace building and Sustaining Peace: Integrating effective resilience for sustainable peace.’’

    “On Nov. 10, we will have another debate on ‘Threats to International Peace and Security: Counter-terrorism in Africa: An imperative for Peace and Development’,’’ he said.

    The envoy said the event would be convened under the agenda on Sustainable Peace and it would be chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, Madam Shirley Botchwey.

    “The second event will also take place under the agenda on International Peace and Security, and it will be chaired by the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo.

    “This debate would seek to focus attention on how counterterrorism measures in Africa can best be supported by the work of the Security Council and how the council itself can support such a force,’’ he said.

    He said the permanent representatives of the council would also be having a breakfast meeting with some elders to discuss how best the council would be supported to address his mandate.

    On the programme of event for the month, the Security Council is expected to receive briefing and consultations on Peace and Security in Africa (Piracy Gulf of Guinea), and Peace and Security in Africa (G5 Sahel), among others.

    The General Assembly of the UN, in June 2021, elected Ghana to serve a two-year term on the Security Council from January 2022 to December 2023.

    The agenda of Ghana is to enhance global peace and security for sustainable and inclusive development, particularly in Africa.

    It was the fourth time Ghana was elected to serve on the Security Council and seventh time it will serve as President of the Security Council.

  • Buhari presides over security council meeting, hosts victorious Commonwealth athletes

    Buhari presides over security council meeting, hosts victorious Commonwealth athletes

    President Muhammadu Buhari has presided over the meeting of the National Security Council with service and security chiefs as well as some cabinet Ministers in attendance.

    Newsmen reports that others at the meeting include Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

    Newsmen gathered that the security chiefs updated the president on current security situation across the country.

    Meanwhile, the president will host the Nigeria Contingent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games at the Banquet hall of the State House, Abuja, today.

    President Buhari had in August commended Team Nigeria for its performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

    He congratulated the contingent for its impressive display, while praising the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, under Sunday Dare, for the team’s success.

    With 12 gold, 9 silver, and 14 bronze medals, Team Nigeria had their best ever showing at a Commonwealth competition, placing seventh overall in the medal standings.

  • JUST IN: Buhari meets NGF, security council in Aso Rock

    JUST IN: Buhari meets NGF, security council in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in another crucial meeting with members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the security council at the State House, Abuja.

    The meeting, which is sequel to the one held with the North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF), is mostly virtual, as most of the participating governors are linking via video call.

    Physically present at the virtual meeting are the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd); the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; the service chiefs and the various heads of other security agencies.

    The governors that joined virtually were chairman of the NGF security council and governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Bayelsa, Senator Douye Diri, Borno, Babagana Zulum, Ebonyi, David Umahi, and Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

  • Nigeria inclusion into UN Security Council, future goal, says Onyeama

    Nigeria inclusion into UN Security Council, future goal, says Onyeama

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, says the clamour for the inclusion of Nigeria into the UN Security Council is a goal to be achieved in the future.

    Onyeama made this known on Wednesday while speaking as a Guest at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

    He was responding to questions on what Nigeria was doing to win the bid for permanent membership of the Council.

    The minister decried geopolitics to pose as challenge on the change in admission process for countries to become members of the council, saying that secured members would still want to maintain their rights.

    According to him, the African Union set up a process called Re-zoning in Swaziland, in order to come up with strategy on country to represent Africa as member of the Security Council.

    Onyeama said: “Then, issue of whether they will have voting rights, within Africa, the process has not probably been decisive. I think there is still the issue of who will be the country.

    “Generally, the sentiment used to be that Africa should ask for two permanent seats, but so the mechanism for deciding who will be those countries has not been agreed upon.

    “Deciding among African countries might not be the easiest test, and then, the principle of arriving at that has to be accepted by the global community.

    “What you then find is that some of the power blocs is going to be those five permanent members, the U.S, Russia, France, UK and China, that are going to decide.

    “So realistically, I do not think it is something that will be solved in the near future.”

    Onyeama said Nigeria would remain committed to non-alignment, adding that the country’s policies were based on national interest and also on how issues were perceived.

    “We are pushing for the strengthening of multilateral institutions like the United Nations and other multilateral fora in order to stop as much as possible the depolarisation of the world.

    “Move toward consensus through neutral media platforms, we have good relations with almost all; we don’t have any issue or problems with any of the countries of the world,” he said.

    Earlier, Alhaji Biola Lawal, NAN Acting Managing Director, had expressed appreciation to the minister for featuring as a guest at the forum.

    Lawal said that the interview with the minister was on the sidelines of activities marking the fifth anniversary of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration since 2015.

    “In the wake of the COVID-19, the president marked his fifth year in office, and the whole world need to know what his administration had been able to achieve in the past.

    “So, our priority is to liaise with the Ministers, to disseminate information on achievements so far recorded, because the reach we have, no one has it.

    “We are presently on ground in all the 36 states of the Federation and Abuja,” Lawal said.