Nigeria’s participation at 74th UN General Assembly

Shortly after the Second World War, the United Nations was established in San Francisco on October 25, 1945 as a replacement for the League of Nations, which was established after the First World War in 1918.

The United Nations had the primary objective of ensuring international peace and security. Other aims, of course, include promoting friendly relations among nations and achieving international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.

The United Nations was also meant to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these goals.

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There are six principal organs through which the United Nations operates to achieve its aims and objectives. There is the General Assembly, which is the most representative and chief deliberative organ of the United Nations – this is the total assembly of all member states. The United Nations’ Charter gives every member access to this Assembly and confers on every member “the right to equal representation, equal opportunity to participate in discussions and equal voting power.” Every member nation could be represented by five members. The normal meetings or sessions of the General Assembly come up once in a year, usually in September, at the United Nations’ headquarters at New York City.

The finances of the United Nations also come under the debate and control of the General Assembly. It approves budgets and shares the financial obligation. New members are also admitted into the United Nations by the General Assembly based on the recommendations that may come from the security council.

Despite the enormous responsibilities or functions of the General Assembly outlined above, it must be pointed out that the assembly does not have the ‘power’ to enforce most of its decisions and resolutions. The assembly often relies on the security council for the implementation and final approval of its many resolutions. Some have referred to the assembly as a ‘toothless bulldog’ or a mere ‘debating house’.

Influential and seemingly powerful members of the General Assembly have also contributed to the weakening of the body. Such members who give much financial assistance and support to the United Nations and its specialized agencies have in the past threatened to withhold their financial support if certain reforms were not made to their favour. Some have even threatened to withdraw their membership of such agencies. Those threats have in reality weakened the effectiveness of the assembly.

From the above, the relevance of the General Assembly of the United Nations cannot be denied. It remains an important organ serving useful purposes, its weaknesses and constraints notwithstanding.

I am proud and happy that Nigeria can boast of active and more representation, especially in the 74th Assembly with the election of Professor Muhammad Tijjani Bande, a seasoned diplomat from Kebbi State, as the current President of the United Nations General Assembly and Hajiya Amina Mohammed, also a seasoned diplomat from Gombe State, as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Again, with the excellent presentation of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Assembly on  September 24, in projecting Africa as the centre peace reaffirm the acclaimed facts that Nigeria is, indeed, the giant of Africa.

Ibrahim Ahmad Kala,

Ibadan