Friday, October 18, 2013

Security Council Poll: Obama, Adefuye Congratulate Nigeria, Others


United States President, Mr. Barrack Obama and the Nigeria's Ambassador to the US, Prof. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, have hailed the victory of Nigeria, Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Saudi Arabia at Thursday's non-permanent seats of the United Nations Security Council.
Speaking through a statement signed by Ambassador Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and made available to journalists yesterday, President Obama said that the seats were well deserved by the new entrants, adding that the United States would remain committed to addressing the most pressing threats to international peace and security.
"As we look ahead to their upcoming terms on the Council, the United States remains committed to addressing the most pressing threats to international peace and security, including by implementing Security
Council Resolution 2118 to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons; furthering efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and work toward a political solution in Syria; tackling ongoing and emerging conflicts in the Great Lakes, Sudan and South Sudan, Somalia, Mali, the Central African Republic and elsewhere; countering the scourge of terrorism around the world; and promoting democracy and human rights so all people have a voice in shaping their future" the statement concluded.
Also reacting in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, said that the outcome of the election had shown that all the efforts of Nigeria on the Security Council and the United Nations as a body were greatly appreciated by the international community.
Adefuye who said that Nigeria truly deserved the non-permanent seat on the Security Council added that the country had been able to contribute meaningfully to the efforts of the Council when it was elected to serve as a non-permanent member representing the West Africa under the leadership of the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Joy U. Ogwu between 2010 and 2011.
The Nigeria's envoy continued that Nigeria would remain fully committed to the struggle of the Security Council to ensure international peace as well as the council's combat against crisis, terrorism and usage of light weapons.
"Just last week, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, was given an award of the best Central Bank governor in Africa.
This is a testimony that things are working positively in Nigeria. This is to show that the international community appreciates the good things that have started coming out of the transformation agenda of president Goodluck Jonathan" he said.
Adefuye however thanked all the members of the Security Council for recognizing Nigeria's efforts in the United Nations and voted for the country to represent the West Africa in the UN organ.
However, the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Joy U. Ogwu, has expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the Thursday's election, assuring that Nigeria would promote preventive diplomacy for peace as a fulcrum of its  agenda at the council during its tenure as a non-permanent member of the Security Council.
It would be recalled that Nigeria was on Thursday elected to serve as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, representing the West African region.
Nigeria which defeated her major contestants, Gambia and Senegal, that had earlier agreed to stand down, with 186 votes to one vote each will be serving as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for two years starting from January 1, 2014, till December 31, 2015.  
This will make it the fifth time that Nigeria will be representing the West Africa on the UN Security Council. The country was elected to serve on the council in 1966-67, 1978-79, 1994-1995 and 2010-2011.

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