United States President, Joe Biden, has expressed his unwavering support for Nigeria’s quest for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, emphasizing the country’s pivotal role in African leadership and its notable contributions to global peacekeeping initiatives.
This endorsement was conveyed during a phone call between Biden and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday evening.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, briefed State House Correspondents following the call, revealing that the two leaders engaged in a 30-minute conversation covering various mutual interests.
Tuggar highlighted President Biden’s appreciation for the collaboration between Nigeria and the U.S., particularly in law enforcement matters.
The discussion also touched on the release of Tigran Gambaryan, an executive from the cryptocurrency exchange company Binance, who was a suspect in a significant legal case involving allegations of money laundering.
Tuggar shared, “President Joseph Biden at about 4 PM today, where the two leaders exchanged pleasantries, and President Biden proceeded to thank President Tinubu for his partnership and for Nigeria’s partnership, and in particular, for the collaboration between the two countries regarding law enforcement and law enforcement agencies, as well as the release of one of the suspects of the cryptocurrency exchange company (Binance).”
During the call, the leaders discussed the matter of permanent representation in the UN Security Council. Biden reiterated the United States’ commitment to ensuring that Africa secures two permanent seats, underscoring Nigeria’s rightful claim to one of these seats based on its stature and influence within the continent.
“And the two leaders also discussed the issue of the permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council, and President Biden once again assured that the United States is committed to seeing Africa having two permanent seats and also reiterated that he does not see any reason why one of those seats should not belong to Nigeria,” Tuggar noted.
In return, President Tinubu expressed gratitude towards Biden and the U.S. for their collaborative efforts in various sectors, including security in West Africa.
Tuggar elaborated on the positive rapport between the two leaders, highlighting their discussions on a range of topics, including Nigeria’s ambitions to join the G20.
“President Biden, as we all know, is leaving office very soon as he’s not contesting elections, so the two leaders also exchanged fondness for each other and their relationship and the meetings that they’ve had, including the G20 meeting,” he added.
The minister emphasized the shared values between Nigeria and the U.S., particularly regarding the rule of law.
He stated, “It was made clear during the phone call that Nigeria is a law-abiding country. It is a country that is guided by the rule of law, and we have our processes, and the United States equally recognizes those processes and respects them.”
The conversation also touched upon the challenges facing the Nigerian legal landscape, particularly in relation to Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen who was arrested in Nigeria during a business trip in February.
He faced charges, including money laundering amounting to $35.4 million, alongside allegations of tax evasion, all of which he and Binance have denied.
This situation gained further attention when Nadeem Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan national and former Africa regional manager for Binance, escaped from custody in Nigeria.
Notably, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria recently announced in court that it had withdrawn the money laundering charges against Tigran Gambaryan, facilitating his medical treatment outside the country.
Overall, the dialogue between President Biden and President Tinubu reflects a deepening partnership between Nigeria and the United States, with a shared commitment to addressing mutual challenges and fostering collaboration for a stable and prosperous future.
