Nigeria has ended its fifth tenure as a non-permanent representative on the UN Security Council after the two-year tenure, National Daily reports.
Nigeria was first elected as a non-permanent representative for a two-year period from 1966 to 1967 and subsequently from 1978 to 1979, 1994 to 1979, 2010 to 2011 and 2013 to 2015.
NAN reports that other countries that also ended their tenures in December 2015 alongside Nigeria were Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Chad.
The new members to replace these countries are Japan, Egypt, Ukraine, Senegal and Uruguay.
NAN recalls that Nigeria’s latest election to occupy one of the non-permanent seats on the council was Oct. 16, 2013.
The Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the UN and it is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.
Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the imposition of international sanctions and the authorisation of military action through Security Council resolutions.
With 15 members comprising five permanent and 10 non-permanent members, the Security Council is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member-states.
The five permanent members are Russia, UK, France, China and the United States.
The permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member-states or candidates for Secretary-General.
The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.