President Bola Tinubu announced Nigeria’s readiness to represent Africa on the United Nations Security Council at the 19th G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He urged the council to allocate two permanent seats to Africa to enhance global diversity and inclusivity.
Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s willingness to serve in this capacity, stating that the Security Council should reflect the world’s plurality. The President’s remarks were part of a broader discussion on addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and terrorism.
Tinubu said, “The Security Council should expand its permanent and non-permanent member categories to reflect the world’s diversity and plurality better.
“Africa deserves priority in this process, and two permanent seats should be allocated to it with equal rights and responsibilities. Nigeria stands ready and willing to serve as a representative of Africa in this capacity.”
“Some permanent members of the council have shown promising signs of support for this process, which is a positive development. We welcome this shift in attitude and call for a faster pace to the long overdue change.
“The world faces various challenges, including extreme poverty, inequality, climate change, terrorism and global conflicts.
These issues are exacerbated by longstanding inequities in the global governance system, which have led to unsustainable sovereign debt and distortions in access to capital markets, trade imbalances, unfair representations and hindered development in the Global South.
“It is our responsibility to find pragmatic solutions to fix these imbalances. Particularly pressing is global taxation, which profoundly impacts developing countries.
The current international tax system, largely shaped by the interests of more affluent nations, often leaves developing countries at a disadvantage, especially in taxing digital economies.
“This systemic imbalance has led to significant revenue losses, hampering our efforts towards sustainable development and economic self-reliance. Multilateral institutions must be revamped to bridge the gap between the Global North and South. This is the path for the future and one the G20 must champion. Nigeria is committed to being part of that future through active participation in the G20 and our steadfast support for achieving SDG 2030 targets.”
Tinubu also praised Brazilian President Lula da Silva for spearheading the establishment of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. He called the Alliance a “significant milestone” in the global effort to eradicate hunger and poverty.
He said, “This bold and visionary step underscores Brazil’s leadership in addressing one of the most urgent and persistent challenges facing our world today.
“The creation of this Alliance marks a significant milestone in our global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, and it also sends a powerful message of solidarity to vulnerable populations around the globe.
“By fostering collaboration between governments, international organisations and civil society, this initiative offers a comprehensive approach not only to addressing immediate needs but also tackling the structural causes of hunger and poverty.”
Tinubu emphasized that the Alliance aligns with his administration’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2, which focus on eradicating poverty and achieving zero hunger.
