77th UNGA: Nigeria demands 2 permanent seats for Africa UN Security Council

By Odimmegwa Johnpeter, Abuja

The Federal Republic of Nigeria has demanded for two permanent seats to be allocated to Africa in the United Nations Security Council.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Friday in New York.

Onyeama, who spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said that such move would make the UN a fair and more equitable organisation.

Recall that President Joe Biden had on Sept. 21, 2022 while addressing the UNGA during the high-level debate, called for the reformation of the UN Security Council.

Onyeama commended the American president for speaking out on the issue and described it as one of the major highlights and takeaways of the 77th UNGA.

He said that Biden’s call for the reformation of the council was in line with what African countries had been demanding over the years..

The minister said that it was sad that Africa was the only region in the world without a permanent seat in the council and a veto.

“President Biden’s call for the reformation of the UN Security Council is preaching to be converted.

“We have been calling for that as developing countries. Africa is the only region of the world that neither have a permanent seat in the security council nor a veto,” he said.

According to the minister, African leaders have been making such requests which he said will make the UN a fair and more equitable organisation in terms of representation.

“We will be calling for Africa to be given two permanent seats in the security council. It is something that we have been demanding for a long time,” Onyeama said.