Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Oluwole Oke, yesterday urged lawmakers from the Global South to back Nigeria’s quest for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Oke made the appeal while addressing delegates at the 2025 Global South Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges in Urumqi, China.
The lawmaker also wooed Chinese investors to take advantage of reforms in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting ongoing changes in ease of doing business and tax administration. He listed aviation, energy, and agriculture as key sectors with huge investment potential.
“The reforms show Nigeria is ready to play a bigger role in global governance. We need the support of our partners for our Security Council ambition,” Oke said.
He told the assembly that South–South cooperation must go beyond politics to cover economic growth, technology transfer, clean climate initiatives, and prosperity for member nations. He called for mutual respect, fair benefits, and open borders among Global South countries.
Recalling the Bandung Conference of 1955 and the emergence of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77, Oke said the Global South has grown into a powerful bloc influencing world trade and diplomacy. He cited the expansion of BRICS, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and vaccine partnerships between India, Brazil, and Africa as major achievements.
But he warned that trade imbalances, debt burdens, and technology gaps still threaten cooperation. “Executives may sign agreements, but without parliamentary oversight, sustainability is doubtful,” he noted.
Oke charged lawmakers to use the Urumqi forum to institutionalise solidarity, align policies, and strengthen networks. “Our task is clear — to transform parliamentary friendship into a force for shared prosperity,” he added.
