Nigeria re-elected 45th time as UN peacekeeping committee chair

Nigeria has been re-elected for the 45th time, to chair the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, regarded as United Nation’s most strategic committee, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

NAN reported that Nigeria was re-elected, in spite of some hesitations by some countries to let Nigeria continue to lead the most critical committee.

Nigeria has chaired the special committee on peacekeeping operations from 1972 till date.

Over the years, some member states had covertly expressed their reservations over the rare honour accorded Nigeria, especially in view of its declining participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

The election was conducted by the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr Herve Ladsous and the Chef de Cabinet of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ms Maria Viotti.

Nigeria was elected by acclamation.

Others elected were Argentina, First Vice Chair; Canada, Second Vice Chair; Japan, Third Vice Chair; Poland, Fourth Vice Chair and Egypt, Rapporteur.

NAN reported that Nigeria was the 14th largest troops contributing nation to United Nations peacekeeping operations and eighth in Africa, according to the last data published by the United Nations Peacekeeping Department.

The data showed that Nigeria contributed 2,170 peacekeeping personnel in 2016, made up of 403 policemen, 46 military experts and 1,721 troops, out of which 232 were females.

United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, after the election, congratulated Nigeria on its re-election as well as other members of the committee.

He urged the committee to consider carefully the recommendation of the 2015 peace and security review, echoed in Security Council resolution 2242, to surpass the current three per cent participation of women peacekeepers.

On his part, Ladsous, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, stressed the need to adapt peacekeeping operations to the changing global context.

After the re-election, Nigeria introduced two new paragraphs for adoption into the 2017 report.

The first was on the impact of illicit financial flows on resource mobilisation and sustainable development, with a call for a return of proceeds of such flows to their countries of origin.

The second took note of the Donald Kaberuka report on potions for funding African Union peace support operations authorised by the Security Council.

The two texts were adopted alongside other major recommendations.

The special committee was established by General Assembly resolution 2006 (XIX) of February 18, 1965, to conduct a comprehensive review of all issues relating to peacekeeping.

It is comprised of 147 member states, mostly past or current contributors to peacekeeping operations, while 14 other member states, intergovernmental organisations and entities, including African Union and Interpol are observers.