UN Conflict Mediation Commission

Afrique jet

22 September 2011

UN Conflict Mediation Commission

News - Africa news .Nigerian leader proposes UN Conflict Mediation Commission - Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has called for the establishment of a UN conflict mediation commission to develop strategies for the resolution of disputes across the world. Jonathan made the call Wednesday in his address to the 66th session of the UN General Assembly holding in New York.

He said the commission, which should be under the Office of the UN Secretary-General, would be tasked with collating information on conflicts, identifying the parties to them and developing rules of engagement, including the sanctions that would apply to those who obstruct efforts to resolve disputes peacefully.

'For the world to move from a culture of response after conflict to that of a culture of prevention, the international community must muster the political will to promote preventive diplomacy, in particular through mediation,” he noted.

He said conflicts were also linked to the proliferation of small arms and said Nigeria remains committed to the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty that addresses the problem of illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

Jonathan also voiced concern over the increasing incidence of piracy and maritime crime in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea and expressed his support for the UN Secretary-General’s proposal to send a UN assessment mission to the region to study the situation and explore possible options for UN support and action.

He said Nigeria had in the recent past faced an upsurge in incidents of terrorism, including the suicide bomb attack on UN House in the capital, Abuja, on 26 August that claimed the lives of 23 people, including 11 UN staff.

President Jonathan vowed that his country will continue to work with the world body and other partners to combat the scourge.

The Nigerian leader also announced that the UN Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) would launch its first project in Abuja in November, intended to prevent conflict and counter the appeal of terrorism to youth through education and dialogue.

He stressed Nigeria's commitment to continued support for peacekeeping and peace-building efforts in Africa and other parts of the world, to promote peaceful co-existence and global security.