Jonathan Tasks The World Body, UN To Review War Against Global Insurgency

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, World News Thursday, September 25th, 2014

By Ayo Balogun

The present measures and initiatives to check insurgency in some countries around the world, require prompt global attention, urgent and total review, says the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan made the advocacy Wednesday while addressing the High level meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and the 69th Session of UN General Assembly in New York, United States (US).

President Jonathan and President Obama

The President tasked the UN to immediately capitalize on the commitment and evident determination of the Security Council to seek more innovative responses to the threat of terrorism and in particular to “the growing menace of foreign fighters”.

He lamented the huge human loss to the insurgency in the world and despite the various initiatives taken by the Nigerian government to stop the menace. He therefore enjoined the Security Council to be concerned about the existence of sources of arming and funding terrorists, saying evidence had shown that the country’s Boko Haram insurgents group, was funded “largely from outside” the country”.

Jonathan urged the body to be committed especially in ensuring that countries which were in the front line of this challenge, received adequate support from the international community. While hailing the resolutions at the meeting, as a critical first step in mobilizing international action, Mr President noted the “raging threat to humanity” could be checked through a united action and firm resolve as well as building of “enduring structures that will resist their re-emergence”.

He dared the body as he stressed the “failure of unanimity of action by the Security Council over pressing challenges to global peace and security, in Syria, Iraq, the conflict in Ukraine, and the renewed aggression between Israel and Palestine, have strengthened the case for the reform of the Security Council”.

He maintained the rampaging militant challenges could only be resolved by a Security Council whose “working methods engender transparency, inclusivity, and common ownership through equitable representation of all regions in the decision making process of the Council”. Jonathan put it to the gathering that it was imperative that the the body takes advantage of 2015, which marks the 50th Anniversary of the 1965 reform, to make concrete progress on the reform of the Council.

“Our view is for a fast-tracked process, in line with the initiative of His Excellency John Ashe, President of the 68th General Assembly, for establishing a working Group on reform. Indeed, the Security Council requires the collective resolve of all member states to ensure that 2015 brings decisive progress” President Jonathan insisted.

Similarly, Mr. President who noted that 2015 also marks the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, with the Charter which underlines the imperative to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, yet, lamented the world has continued to witness the ravages of war and human suffering.

“Today’s terrorism, manifested sometimes in insurgency, is vicious and aimless. Its consequences are extremely agonizing, marked by a tendency to annihilate victims, and completely destroy infrastructure and properties. The involvement of foreign fighters has remained a common feature of terrorist groups – whether Al Qaieda in the Maghreb, Al Shaabab in Somalia, Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the newly emerging Islamic State (I.S),” he said.

The President called the attention of UN to the devastating effect of the militant body, stating “the new dimension introduced by IS to conquer territory and establish its destructive ideology, is a major challenge that must be collectively halted before it becomes the norm”. This, he stressed “refocuses attention on the need to review present tools for United Nations peacekeeping operations”.

Jonathan thanked all the countries and organizations that expressed solidarity with Nigeria , lamenting the killing of over 13,000 people in the raging uprising and abduction of over 200 Chibok Secondary school girls in Borno State, missing over five months ago. He equally thanked the French Government for organizing and hosting the Special Summit on Security in Nigeria, in Paris in May, 2014, adding that the outcome of the “French process and the follow-up in London, Washington and Abuja has helped to galvanize regional action and is already yielding positive results.”

The President who told the meetings that Nigeria had successfully contained the outbreak of deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) however noted it was pertinent for the international community to properly appreciate the enormity of the virus challenge which is ravaging in some West African countries.

“Indulging in isolationist and discriminatory tendencies will only worsen an already critical situation. To prevent the disease from becoming a global catastrophe, the UN must accord it the concerted effort it deserves”, Jonathan demanded.

Mr. President declared that there was no doubt that much has been discussed on limiting the ozone layer depletion, since the commencement of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994, yet complained that the extent of progress in key areas, particularly in limiting the contribution of man-made activities to Green House emission, was yet to be determined.

On efforts to resolve other tasks, the Nigerian leader appreciated the “indispensable” role of the UN in the search for solutions to the challenges including terrorism; global peace and security; the environment and forging sustainable economic development.

The country, Jonathan pledged would remain a reliable and active partner, especially “as we collectively work to resolve the new and emerging threats to global peace and security”.