Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, emphasizing the need for reform in the global governance system. He stated that Africa's continued exclusion from permanent membership in the UN Security Council undermines fairness, credibility, and legitimacy. Shettima expressed Nigeria's concerns, stressing that a continent cannot be expected to bear the burdens of the international order without an equal voice in directing it.
Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanded at least two permanent Security Council seats for Africa. He argued that the current distribution of permanent seats among five countries – the US, China, France, Russia, and the UK – since 1945 is no longer justifiable. The Vice President emphasized that the structure of global decision-making must reflect contemporary geopolitical and demographic realities.
During a meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, a Nigerian-born diplomat, Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria's push for urgent reform of the UN and other international institutions. He praised UN Secretary-General António Guterres for advocating a more representative Security Council, particularly his stance that a 21st-century Council without permanent African representation is "unjust and indefensible."
Shettima commended Guterres for defending international law and human dignity amidst widening conflicts and heightened geopolitical tensions. He warned that international diplomacy must not become detached from the human cost of wars, instability, hunger, and displacement. The Vice President emphasized that global institutions must be judged by their response to human suffering.
Nigeria's Vice President also praised Amina Mohammed for her contributions to multilateral diplomacy and sustainable development. Mohammed expressed gratitude to Nigeria and President Tinubu for their support for the UN and her office. Shettima was accompanied to the meeting by several governors and senior government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Shettima maintained that Nigeria will continue to be a dependable partner in international efforts to restore confidence in multilateralism, protect human dignity, and confront hunger, violence, and exclusion. He emphasized that the credibility of the international system depends on its capacity to respond fairly to human suffering and give every region a meaningful voice in decisions affecting humanity.
The Vice President concluded by stating that civilization endures only when the suffering of a stranger becomes a claim on our conscience. He commended Mohammed for her service to the UN, describing it as a source of pride to Nigeria. The meeting was a significant step in Nigeria's push for UN reform and increased African representation in global governance.
Key points
- Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima urges reform of the UN Security Council to include African representation.
- Shettima demands at least two permanent Security Council seats for Africa.
- Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to international law, human dignity, and multilateralism.
