Nigeria has won the chair of UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations for the 45^th time. It is regarded as UN’s most strategic committee. As reported by The Nation, the UN Correspondent of NAN reports that Nigeria was re-elected in spite of some hesitations by some countries to let Nigeria continue to lead the most critical committee. Nigeria has chaired the special committee on peacekeeping operations from 1972 till date.

Over the years, some Member States have covertly expressed their reservations over the rare honour accorded to Nigeria, especially in view of its declining participation in UN peacekeeping operations. The election was conducted by the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr Herve Ladsous and the Chef de Cabinet of the UN Secretary-General, Ms Maria Viotti. Nigeria was elected by acclamation.

ALSO SEE: Nigeria sinks deeper in debt, gets $13.63bn IDA, IBRD facilities

NAN reports that Nigeria is the 14th largest troops contributing nation to UN Peacekeeping operations and eighth in Africa, according to the last data published by the UN Peacekeeping Department. The data showed that Nigeria contributed 2,170 peacekeeping personnel in 2016, made up of 403 policemen, 46 military experts and 1, 721 troops, out of which 232 were females. How

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, after the election, congratulated Nigeria on its re-election as well as other members of the committee.