Linus Aleke, Abuja
Federal Government has reiterated the calls to reform the United Nations and its agencies for optimal benefit to global citizens.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, made this call in New Delhi India, while participating in the G20 1st Foreign Ministers’  Meeting under India’s Presidency.

Onyema further said that Nigeria join other countries in calling for the reform of other institutions like the

International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to make them more attuned to the needs of developing countries.

Special Assistant on  Media to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Sarah Sanda, said that the Minister spoke on the  sub theme, “strengthening multilateralism and need for reforms”.

Onyeama noted that  Nigeria recognizes the fact that the most pressing issues of our time can not be addressed without multilateral cooperation, stronger collaboration and cooperation among diverse regions is the only path to a peaceful, stable and prosperous world for all.

He said that today’s challenges require a revitalized international

cooperation that is effective, representative, and inclusive; that guarantees a world that is governed by acceptable rules and norms that give opportunity for all to open trade, prosperity, and

shared progress.

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Onyema noted that it was in this respect that Nigeria and others  reiterate their call for a reform of the United Nations in all its three pillars – Peace and Security, Development and Human Rights.

According to him, “let me use this platform to draw attention to our unending call for a reform of the UN Security Council that will ensure Africa’s legitimate right to fair and equitable representation in the Council: taking into account the principles, objectives, and

ideals of the United Nations Charter for a fairer world based on universalism, equity, and regional balance within the United Nations system. We note that a rules-based, non-discriminatory, free, fair, open, inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and transparent multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core, is a desideratum for addressing our shared objectives, especially in realizing the sustainable development goals”.

He said the demand, which is legitimate, is well espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte declaration, which calls for expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council.

African states, he said, have offered a coherent, practical and persuasive blueprint for the Council’s reform, adding,

“We have come up with a common position, which asserts the right of our continent that has for so long been marginalized, and we recognize the

legitimate aspirations of other regions to be fully represented in the Council”.

The Foreign Minister said that Nigeria look forward to working closely with the G20 and its

members as the group seek to address issues of concern to today’s world, including the need to develop digital health solutions; vocational training, and technology transfer to the South; digital finance and

financial inclusion in developing countries; holistic approach to debt burden, climate change, and post pandemic recovery measures.

Also on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers Meeting, Onyeama met with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and held a bilateral meeting with the United States Foreign Secretary, Antony Blinken.

Applauding the well thought out theme of the meeting: “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” Onyeama concluded that he has a strong conviction that, as the largest economy in Africa, with stable and uninterrupted democratic governance, Nigeria should become a permanent member of G20 in the nearest future.