Nigeria demands permanent seats for Africa on UN Security Council, debt cancellation
Nigeria’s support for Security Council reform
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York calling for the expansion of the UN Security Council. Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressed the importance of giving Africa permanent seats on the Security Council with the same rights and responsibilities as other permanent members.
The intervention follows remarks by US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who expressed US support for the creation of two permanent seats for Africa, although she clarified that these new members would not benefit from the right of veto.
The African position on permanent seats
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also backed the move, while stressing the importance of new African members having the veto power. This remains a crucial element in discussions on Security Council reform.
For his part, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva considered the absence of permanent seats for Africa and Latin America “unacceptable”, reiterating the importance of reform to better reflect the current geopolitical reality.
Nigeria’s call for global financial reform
In addition to his demands for the UN, Kashim Shettima also called for a reform of the international financial architecture. He advocated for the cancellation of Nigeria’s debt to multilateral financial institutions. This demand comes in a context marked by the many challenges facing the country and the continent, such as terrorism, armed conflict, poverty, and inequality.
Conclusion
Nigeria’s position highlights the urgency of reforming international institutions to include African voices in global decision-making. Beyond security issues, the call for debt cancellation speaks to the major economic challenges to sustainable development in the region. The expansion of the UN Security Council and a review of global financial structures are now priorities for many countries in the Global South.
