By Abiola Olawale
Foremost international Affairs Scholar-diplomat, and immediate past Chief of Staff to former president Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari has advocated a timely reform of the United Nations (UN) system and democratization of its Security Council.
Professor Gambari, a former United Nations Under-Secretary-General (Political Affairs) and one time Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs minister, who spoke while delivering a public lecture commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, held at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state, canvassed reformation of the world body as well as democratization of its Security Council as presently constituted to reflect what he described as today’s economic demographic and political realities, stressing that Africa should” be fully represented, and taken into consideration.”
He said: “The membership of the UN Security Council should be reformed and democratized to reflect today’s economic demographic and political realities, and Africa should be fully represented, and taken into consideration.
“The genocide in Rwanda had the unintended consequence of reawakening governments in Africa to an appreciation of their responsibility to protect civilian populations beyond their territorial borders.
“Rwanda taught Africans not to rely purely on the goodwill of the larger international community to police and resolve conflicts on their continent.
“The need for Africa to develop its resources and mechanisms, to initiate effective and robust engagements, to resolve the problems of the continent has become increasingly apparent,” Gambari who had also served as a permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations added.
The Columbia University educated eminent international relations scholar-diplomat, also asserted that there is a need for the expansion of the membership of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories.
Gambari, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) said the reforms are essential to prevent another case of genocide as witnessed against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
In his address, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose statement was read by the UNIC National Information Officer Oluseyi Soremekun, advised that people should shun hatred and discrimination, and embrace unity.
He said: “Let’s pledge to stand as one against all forms of hatred and discrimination and, ensure acts that began on April 7 1994, are never forgotten, never repeated anywhere.”
The New Diplomat recalls that the Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, occurred between 7 April and 19 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu militias. Although the Constitution of Rwanda states that more than 1 million people perished in the genocide, the actual number of fatalities remains unclear.
