The Nigeria's Permanent Mission to the UN Thursday assured that the nation’s Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August would be eventful.

Head of Media and Spokesperson, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, Dr. Tope Adeleye Elias-Fatile stated this in statement issued at the UN headquarters in New York.

“Indeed, it is envisaged that Nigeria’s Presidency of the Council for this month will be eventful, given the intensity of current threats to global peace and security.”

Elias-Fatile said Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Joy Ogwu, who is the president of the council, had been having series of bilateral meetings with representatives of other member states of the council.

Ogwu has assumed the one-month rotational presidency of the UN Security Council, as the country’s permanent representative to the UN.

She took over from Amb. Gerard Bohemen, the Permanent Representative of New Zealand, who held the Presidency for the month of July.

“On Monday Aug. 3, 2015, the President of the Security Council, Prof. Joy Ogwu, continued with consultations with other members of the council.

“This is a part of preparations for the leadership of the Council for the month.”

He said Ogwu, on Tuesday, had series of bilateral meetings with the representatives of 14 other member states of the council.

According Elias-Fatile, Ogwu had presented her programme of work as President for the month of August, to the Council for consideration and inputs.

“At the meeting, the programme of work was endorsed by the other 14 members of the council.

“Subsequently, she briefed the entire member states of the UN of the Programme of Work of the Council for the month after which she also briefed the UN Media.

“Of particular note on the Programme of Work are the three Thematic Debates that were scheduled.”

Elias-Fatile said Ogwu’s first programme of work scheduled for Aug. 13 was, “Peace and Security in Africa - Focus on Ebola.”

“This is meant to highlight the role of regional and sub-regional organisations in fighting this epidemic.

“The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is expected to attend the meeting.”

According to him, the programme of work scheduled for Aug. 18 is ``Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Regional Organisations and Contemporary Challenges of Global Security.

“This important meeting is to underline the fact that regional organisations have roles to play in the maintenance of international peace and security.

“They (regional organisations) should be the first 'responders' to the challenge of international peace and security because they understand their environments better and they understand the dynamics involved in any conflict in their regions.

“It is, therefore, necessary to encourage member states to deal with the situation in their regions as it concerns them.

“All regional organisations around the world have been invited to attend this important event.”

Elias-Fatile listed the programme of work for Aug. 20 as, “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Security Sector Reform.”

“This is meant to be a follow-up to the main focus of Nigeria's Presidency of the Council in April, 2014.

“That was when for the first time in the history of the council, a 'stand-alone' resolution was adopted on Security Sector Reform.”

This would be the first time in the history of UN that an elected member of the Security Council would assume the council’s presidency for the fourth time in two separate tenures within five years.

Nigeria was elected a non-permanent member of the council on Oct. 17, 2013 and is serving for the period 2014 to 2015.

This is the fifth time since independence that Nigeria has been elected to serve on this most powerful decision-making organ of the UN charged with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. (NAN)

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