President Bola Tinubu has called for reforms at the United Nations (UN) to give Africa two permanent seats on the Security Council with full privileges, including the right of veto.
The President made this call at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President, (Information & Strategy), Mr. Bayo Onanuga on Wednesday.
Tinubu argued that Africa deserved two permanent seats on the UN Security Council, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the right of veto.
The President also called for additional non-permanent seats for Africa in line with the Ezulwini consensus and Sirte declaration.
He said, “Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the permanent category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the right of veto.
”Africa also deserves additional seats in the non-permanent seat category of the security council, ” he added.
President Tinubu emphasised that military victories alone could not guarantee lasting peace without addressing poverty, inequality, and exclusion.
Tinubu also called for new approaches to peace-building in Africa, pointing to peace agreements recently brokered in the Congo as examples of how mediation linked with economic investment can deliver results.
“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror but also the underlying causes, ” he said.
Tinubu appealed for market-driven partnerships across borders, urging countries to move beyond “hackneyed appeals for aid and handouts.”
Tinubu’s call for UN Security Council reforms highlighted the need for greater representation and inclusion of African countries in global decision-making processes.
The President’s emphasis on addressing poverty, inequality, and exclusion underscores the importance of sustainable development and peace-building in Africa.
