Jonathan, Gambian president advocate UN reform

President Goodluck Jonathan and his Gambian counterpart, Yahya Jammeh, on Saturday in Banjul re-stated Africa’s demand for the urgent reformation of the United Nations Organisation.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the presidents made the call in a joint communiqué issued at the end of talk between the two leaders.

“The two Presidents reiterated the need for the reformation of the Security Council and the United Nations System in its entirety so as to reflect current realities.

“They expressed their conviction that the African continent should be equitably represented in world governance through a better presence on the Security Council and in agencies of the United Nations,” Abati quoted from the communiqué.

Jonathan, the communiqué also stated, had  earlier thanked Jammeh and Gambia for conceding West-Africa’s non-permanent seat in the United Nations’ Security Council for 2014-2015 to Nigeria.

The President assured the Gambian leader that Nigeria would diligently and effectively represent and promote the interests of West Africa and Africa during its tenure on the Security Council.

The two Presidents were also said to have agreed on the need for African leaders to accelerate the pace of regional and continental economic integration.

In this regard, they called for faster action towards the removal  of obstacles and impediments to greater intra-regional and intra-continental trade and economic activities in Africa.

During the visit, Jonathan commissioned the new Chancery building of the Nigerian High Commission in Banjul and also met with members of the Nigerian community in The Gambia.

- The Punch

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