President Bola Tinubu has renewed calls for sweeping reforms at the United Nations, insisting that Africa deserves permanent representation on the Security Council.
Speaking at the plenary session on peace and stability during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Tinubu said the continent must be allotted two permanent seats with full privileges, including veto power, as well as additional non-permanent seats in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
“It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand,” Tinubu declared. “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 category.”
The President also praised Nigeria’s armed forces for recent successes against insurgency and criminality, calling their achievements a “springboard for national development and stability.” However, he warned that military victories alone cannot secure lasting peace without tackling poverty, inequality, and exclusion.
“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,” Tinubu said.
Citing peace agreements recently brokered in the Congo, he argued that linking mediation to economic investment offers a model for sustainable peace. “It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability,” he noted.
Tinubu further urged African nations to embrace market-driven partnerships across borders, moving beyond what he described as “hackneyed appeals for aid and handouts.”
During the conference, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged $5.5 billion in support for Africa, reinforcing Japan’s commitment to the continent’s stability and development.
