President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria’s election to the UN Security Council will further enhance international peace and security.
Addressing the UN General Assembly’s high-level debate at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Jonathan made a strong case for Nigeria’s election to the council.
He noted that the country’s performance on previous occasions when it held a non-permanent seat on the council was commendable.
Nigeria will be contesting for another non-permanent seat on the council for the 2014/2015 session.
“Our support for the United Nations Security Council in its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security has been total and unwavering.
“We have, in previous membership of the council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in key council responsibilities.
“I am pleased to state that Nigeria has received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union.
“We, therefore, urge this august assembly to endorse Nigeria’s candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council,” Jonathan said.
He, however, called for faster action toward the democratisation of the UN Security Council, stressing that Nigeria and other developing countries were concerned about the lack of progress in the reformation of the UN.
“I believe that I express the concern of many about the slow pace of effort and apparent lack of progress in the reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council.
“We believe, strongly, that the call for democratisation worldwide should not be for states only but also for international organisations, such as the United Nations.
“That is why we call for the democratisation of the Security Council.
“This is desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and fairness and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in our world,” he said.
Jonathan also called for a renewed and concerted effort, by the international community, to effectively resolve all issues that currently impeded global peace, stability and progress.
“Our world continues to be confronted by pressing problems and threats. No statement that will be made during this session can exhaust the extent of these problems.
“The world looks to us, as leaders, to provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through difficult socio-political divisions and to ensure that we live in a better world.
“We have obligations to the present generation but we have a greater obligation to generations yet unborn, who should one day inherit a world of sufficiency, irrespective of the circumstances of their birth or where they reside on the globe.
“We must work to make that world a reality in recognition of our common heritage.
“We must dedicate ourselves to working together to address global, regional and national challenges and deliver a more peaceful, equitable and prosperous world for all. It is our duty, we must not fail,” the president said.
He called for the international community to confront the menace of global terrorism with greater resolve and determination, saying that terrorism constituted a major threat to global peace.
Jonathan added that terrorism undermined the capacity for sustained development.
He said in Nigeria, the threat of terrorism in few states in the northeast had proved to be a major challenge to national stability.
“We are, therefore, confronting it with every resource at our disposal with due regard for fundamental human rights and the rule of law.
“The reign of terror anywhere in the world is an assault on our collective humanity. Three days ago, the stark reality of this menace was again brought to the fore by the dastardly terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya.
“We must stand together to win this war together,” Jonathan said.