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Nigeria’s Former Ambassador to Ethiopia, Otunba Olusegun Akinsanya has stated that Africans are not united on representatives at the United Nations Security Council if expansion is eventually considered.
The former diplomat stated this at the ongoing diplomatic training organized by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in partnership with peacebuilding development consult for Nigerian diplomats, on Monday in Lagos.
The Representative Organisations at the training were the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and others.
Ambassador Akinsanya said the area of representatives needs to be sorted out even as the push for the expansion of the council continues.
He, however, noted that the permanent member countries have to accept the expansion of the security council but are yet to be accepted.
“Even if they accept to expand the United Nations Security Council, Africans are not united on who the representatives should be.
“It is one of the areas that need to be sorted out. Of course, there are going to be representatives of Africa and Nigeria is in Africa.
“The Permanent Member Countries- United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China with a veto, have to accept for that expansion of the security council. That has not been accepted and that is the first step.
“Once that is agreed, it is now within the African Union that representatives will be chosen.
“Africa is asking for an enlargement of the security council with veto because without veto they would just be there as onlookers,” He said.
In his opening remarks, The Director-General, NIIA, Professor Eghosa Osaghae described the foreign policy school as one of the initiatives introduced by the Institute.
Osaghae said the institute’s mandate is to train and build capacity in the field of diplomacy to equip Nigerian officials, diplomats and officials of other countries with the tools that are required to be effective in diplomacy and international engagements.
He explained that the training is necessary because the global scene has changed and transformed considerably.
“It is one of the new things the NIIA has introduced. We have the mandate to train and build capacity in the field of diplomacy to equip Nigerian officials, diplomats and officials of other countries with the tools that are required to be effective in diplomacy and international engagements.
“So, this is the foundational course the NIIA is embarking upon. This is necessary because the global scene has changed and transformed so considerately that many said today has become unpredictable,” The DG said.
Tribune
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