By Omar Bah
Nigeria has secured the support of The Gambia in its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. This move has garnered backing from several West African nations. This development is significant, as the UN Security Council, which consists of 15 members—five of whom hold permanent seats with veto power—has faced criticism for its insufficient representation of Africa despite the continent being home to 54 member states. The United States has proposed the addition of two permanent seats for African nations, positioning Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt as leading candidates.
Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar has been actively seeking support from West African countries for Nigeria’s candidacy, highlighting Nigeria’s qualifications to serve as the continent’s representative. He also noted that Femi Elias, Nigeria’s nominee for the International Court of Justice, has received commitments of support from these nations.
Tuggar emphasized that 68% of the Security Council’s decisions pertain to Africa, underscoring the critical need for African representation. He mentioned President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to this initiative and reaffirmed that the U.S. has publicly endorsed the push for permanent African seats on the Council.
