Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, has demanded the creation of permanent seat for Africa at the United Nations (UN) security council.
Speaking at the ongoing World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments in Geneva, Switzerland, Abbas said with a population of over 1.4 billion, the continent deserves a seat at the global decision-making body.
He said the continent must move from being at the margins to the centre, where key decisions are made.
The five permanent members of the UN security council are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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For years, there has been a clamour for Africa to be represented in the security council, a body believed to be the most powerful UN organ.
“Nigeria’s parliamentary resolve extends to global advocacy. We call for urgent reform of the UN security council and Bretton Woods system to reflect Africa’s 1.4 billion-strong demographic reality, moving the continent from the margins to the centre of global decision-making,” Abbas said.
“In this turbulent era, the 10th house of representatives and the Nigerian national assembly align themselves with global parliaments to forge a future where cooperative multilateralism triumphs, delivering peace, justice, and inclusive prosperity for all.”
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Speaking on global upheavals, including geopolitical conflicts, climate disasters, and inequalities, Abbas said Africa bears the “heaviest impact” of these challenges.
“Conflicts in Sudan displace millions; coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger destabilise the Sahel, and climate change, despite Africa’s mere 4 percent of global emissions, causes widespread destruction,” Abbas said.
“Nigeria, Africa’s democratic and economic powerhouse, struggles with banditry, economic hardships forcing half of its population into poverty, and climate-induced desertification and flooding.”
He said despite the challenges, Nigeria remains committed to peace, justice, and prosperity through parliamentary leadership.
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Abbas said the Nigerian house of representatives, under his leadership, has championed multilateral cooperation by establishing parliamentary friendship groups.
He said the parliament has aligned global commitments with Nigeria’s local needs and priorities, noting that Nigeria’s review of the African continental free trade area (AfCFTA) is targeting a 10 percent increase in exports by 2030.
As a response to the escalating climate crisis, he noted that lawmakers are pushing for the implementation of the amended Climate Change Act (2021) and demanding that the $100 billion global climate finance pledge be honoured.
On inclusion in the country, Abbas said the reserved seats for women bill intends to tackle Nigeria’s female parliamentary representation gap to foster gender equity.
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He said the Students’ Loan Act 2024 empowers youths to access education, addressing social inequities exacerbated by global turmoil.
On digital governance, Abbas added that the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023) and AI regulation bills harness the tech ecosystem for equitable innovation, ensuring technology serves the public good.
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