By: Our Reporter
Nigeria has taken over the chairmanship of the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, popularly known as the Committee of 34 (C-34), with Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, pledging to lead with transparency, accountability and a strong commitment to the protection of civilians.
Ibrahim assumed the chairmanship from Canada, commending the outgoing chairman for what he described as an outstanding contribution to the work of the committee.
The Nigerian envoy said the committee would continue to support efforts aimed at strengthening international peace and security, particularly in addressing terrorism and other threats to global stability.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that counter-terrorism and peacekeeping operations remained focused on maintaining stability while protecting the interests and welfare of civilians.
Ibrahim’s emergence as chairman of the C-34 further strengthens Nigeria’s leadership position within the United Nations, as he is now chairman of two important UN committees.
The committees are the United Nations Fifth Committee, responsible for administrative and budgetary matters, and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34).
The development is considered significant for Nigeria, given the country’s longstanding contribution to international peacekeeping operations and its advocacy for stronger multilateral cooperation in addressing global security challenges.
In his remarks after assuming the new responsibility, Ibrahim expressed appreciation to Canada for its leadership of the committee and pledged to build on the progress already recorded.
He assured member states that his leadership would be guided by the principles of transparency, accountability and effective collaboration.
Ibrahim is serving as Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations following his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The diplomat, lawyer and businessman is an alumnus of Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and Obafemi Awolowo University, among other institutions.
His appointment to lead the two committees comes within his first 100 days in office as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, placing him at the centre of key deliberations on the organisation’s peacekeeping operations, international security, administration and finances.
Nigeria’s leadership of the C-34 is expected to provide another platform for the country to contribute to ongoing global discussions on the future of UN peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, civilian protection and international security cooperation.
