Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that Africa's continued exclusion from permanent membership of the United Nations (UN) Security Council undermines the fairness and legitimacy of the global governance system. He made this remark during a meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Mr. Shettima emphasized the need for urgent reform of the UN to make it more representative and credible.
Mr. Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria's support for the reform of the UN, noting that the nation would remain a dependable partner in efforts to rebuild trust among nations, defend international law, and address hunger, violence, and exclusion. He commended UN Secretary-General António Guterres for his consistent support for a more representative Security Council. The Vice President highlighted the Secretary-General's declaration that a 21st-century Council without permanent African representation is "unjust and indefensible."
Mr. Shettima stressed that a continent cannot be expected to bear the burdens of the international order and then be denied an equal hand in directing it. He maintained that Nigeria would continue to support reforms that make international institutions more representative, responsive, and credible. The Vice President emphasized that global decisions must better reflect contemporary geopolitical and demographic realities.
The Vice President also praised Mr. Guterres for defending international law and human dignity amid widening global conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions. He described the Secretary-General as a voice of reason in a world where individual states are drifting from their obligations under the UN Charter and international law. Mr. Shettima warned that diplomacy must not lose sight of the human consequences of war and instability.
Mr. Shettima commended UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed for her contributions to multilateral diplomacy and sustainable development, describing her service as a source of pride to Nigeria. He expressed Nigeria's willingness to be a willing ally in the work of restoring trust among nations and dignity to lives diminished by hunger, violence, and exclusion.
The meeting was also attended by Governors Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, Hyacinth Alia, Siminalayi Fubara, and Lawal Dauda, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim. Ms. Mohammed expressed gratitude to Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu for their support for the UN and her office.
The Vice President added that the credibility of the international system would eventually depend on its ability to respond fairly to human suffering and provide all regions with a meaningful voice in global decision-making. He emphasized that civilization endures only when the suffering of a stranger becomes a claim on our conscience.
Key points
- Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima criticizes Africa's exclusion from UN Security Council
- Mr. Shettima emphasizes the need for urgent reform of the UN to make it more representative and credible
- The Vice President commends UN Secretary-General António Guterres for his support for a more representative Security Council
