The quest for seats on the United Nations Security Council is not to divert South Africa and Nigeria from African challenges, South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Thursday in Pretoria.
Pahad was addressing the special implementation committee on binational commission matters between the two countries. The committee was meeting for the first time since its inaugural meeting in October 2003.
”Seeking UN Security Council seats must not divert us from the primary challenges in Africa of poverty alleviation and development,” Pahad said.
He emphasised the two countries’ cooperation in obtaining two African seats on the Security Council and said the presidents of both South Africa and Nigeria will put forward a common agenda to the UN to advance African interests.
Pahad said the countries cannot successfully tackle issues of development and providing quality of life for Africans without ensuring peace and stability on the continent.
He congratulated Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on his commitment to conflict resolution.
As two of Africa’s important players, South Africa and Nigeria have taken the initiative in conflict resolution in countries such the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, while the international community and the UN sat ”twiddling their thumbs, caught up in bureaucracy”, Pahad said.
The leader of the Nigerian delegation, Mike Kwanashie, said the members of his delegation are looking forward to fruitful discussions with their South African counterparts and hope for collaboration and cooperation on African and global issues. — Sapa