Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, is one of the 75 current and former heads of state including 15,000 other invited guests streaming into the Ethiopian capital for the 21st Ordinary session of the AU.
But there is more work to be done in the aftermath of the AU endorsement of Nigeria’s candidacy of the UNSC.
Before the elections proper in October in New York, where she would need two-third of votes by members to secure the seat, Nigeria has to move swiftly to lobby other regional groupings for support. The African group has the highest number of countries (54).
The other regional groupings include Asia-Pacific group (53), Eastern European Group (23), Latin America and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), (33), and Western European and other Group (WEOG) (28) + One observer member state.
Speaking to the Nigerian media at the end of a series of meetings, Foreign Affairs minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, noted that AU’s endorsement was unanimous, stressing that, “Usually once you have got your regional endorsement, the journey is easier. What the countries will ask for is reciprocal support. The UNSC is the highest legislative body in the world.”
Asked about the possible hurdles ahead, especially as Nigeria exited the seat not too long ago, even producing the Council’s president (Professor Joy Ogwu) in July 2010, the minister said, “I do not foresee any region to be problematic. Nigeria has been there before. This will be the first time we will go there in quick succession. Work begins because even countries that want to go in five or 10 years time are already campaigning.”
Meanwhile, the AU Commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has vowed to take the agenda of the AU further to include “socio-economic development: the fight against poverty, the empowering of women and investment by the private sector.”
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Cape Town earlier this month, Dlamini-Zuma spoke on the importance of agriculture and the role of the private sector in “ensuring a prosperous and peaceful continent.”
Since taking up the position of chairperson in October last year, she has consistently stressed the role of women in lifting Africa out of poverty, calling on women to make sure their voices were heard in defining what the AU is now calling its Agenda 2063 – a strategy for Africa over the next 50 years.
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