U.S. backing Africa’s quest for two permanent seats at UNSC, says Tuggar

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has said the United States of America pushed for Africa to get two permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council during the last United Nations General Assembly.

Tuggar said the President, represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, called for a review of the five permanent members of the UNSC for developing nations’ representation, where Africa houses the larger portion.

Tuggar, who spoke with journalists in his home state, Bauchi over the weekend, said Nigeria has an estimated population of 220 million, which is projected to reach over 400 by 2050, to become the third most populated country.

He said: “The President, as the leader of the global South and developing countries, has expressed readiness to lead the reform of the UNGA. During his address, he brought up the matter that the system being operated in the United Nations Security Council with the global financial system is something that was created after World War II, which is no longer applicable to the 21st century.

“If we are truly committed to democracy, then we have to democratise the UNSC. We cannot have just five permanent members who do not represent the largest number of people on the planet. Nigeria is the largest with 220 million people. By 2050, we are expected to be over 400 million. Nigeria is supposed to be in that UNSC.

“This has been received in the last UNGA and most of the countries that spoke agreed that there should be a reform. Not just the global governing body, but also the global financial architecture and a good number of them said Africa should have two permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council.”

Stressing the support enjoyed by the clamour, he said: “In fact, the United States of America, through its permanent representative in the UN came out to say that they are fully in support of Africa being represented in the Security Council.”