TheCable

Tijjani Bande, permanent representative of Nigeria to the UN, says that the United Nations security council is old-fashioned and undemocratic.

The representative made this statement while speaking to NAN in New York.

The security council is UN’s most powerful principal organ with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security as well as accepting new members to the international body.

It is vested with powers for the establishment of peacekeeping operations, establishment of international sanctions and is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.

Bande asked UN to show a good example.

“First of all, the fundamental question is that in the current global reality, where everybody is talking democracy, United Nations must show example.

“Clearly, it is an anachronistic notion to have a body composed of few countries that can veto the entirety of the global community through the council is not representative.

“It is an anomaly and I think that has been recognised but the politics of the reform not just of the UN in terms of the powers of the general assembly and its functions.”

Bande said Nigeria and some countries feel left out and deserve a permanent seat on the council considering the current realities.

“But this journey, at the official level, started 25 years ago. Nigeria is at the forefront of that effort and doesn’t read this as a selfish move. This (permanent seat) is the right of Nigeria and other serious nations to push and this is what other countries are also pushing.

“Be they small states which are pushing, be they Africa that has not any representation, this is not something that would go away. Nigeria and others are committed that we cannot have a democratic system which does not represent the majority of countries.

“Our continent is completely out of contention; whether we get two or three, the debate is we have to be on the security council.”

The body has five permanent members, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States, and 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms

The five permanent members can veto any substantive security council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for secretary-general.

“The debate is still ongoing whether it is even right to have veto power,” he said.

The Nigerian envoy exuded confidence in the chance of Nigeria to get on board of the prestigious council on its own global credentials or through the Africa’s continental slot.