Nigeria has once again been elected to chair the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34), widely regarded as the UN’s most strategic peacekeeping body, marking a record 54th time in the role.
The Chargé d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Syndoph Endoni, was chosen by acclamation at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City during the opening of the 2026 session.
Nigeria has chaired the Special Committee consistently since 1972, reflecting its enduring influence in global peacekeeping. The country remains one of the largest contributors of troops to UN missions. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria ranks 15th globally and eighth in Africa among troop-contributing nations.
Speaking during the General Debate of the 2026 session, Mr Endoni reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to peace.
“Nigeria has consistently placed peace, unity and dialogue at the core of its national identity and foreign policy,” he said.
“As such, we remain committed to peaceful conflict resolution and continue to contribute actively to peacekeeping efforts within Africa and beyond.
“Nigeria also recognises the growing importance of innovation and technology in modern peace operations, especially data-driven decision-making, enhanced situational awareness tools and responsible technology integration that can significantly improve force protection and mandate delivery.”
He also stressed the need for discipline, accountability and due process in peacekeeping engagements.
“Nigeria stands ready to support the work of the Special Committee to strengthen UN peacekeeping.
“We look forward to engaging with delegations in a spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility as we work to advance peace and security globally.”
In remarks to NAN’s correspondent in New York, Mr Endoni said Nigeria’s re-election underscores the country’s standing among nations in the area of peacekeeping and international security.
He added that the renewed mandate would bolster Nigeria’s leadership role within the UN and help sustain global attention on peacekeeping operations.
The C-34 is the only UN body specifically mandated to review all aspects of peacekeeping operations and to make recommendations for improvement. Currently, more than 100,000 military, police and civilian personnel from 125 countries serve in 14 missions worldwide, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Central African Republic and Lebanon.
The committee plays a central role in guiding countries along the path from conflict to peace, drawing on the UN’s comparative advantages such as legitimacy, burden-sharing and the integration of military, police and civilian personnel under mandates set by the Security Council and General Assembly.
Established in 1965 by the General Assembly, the Special Committee comprises 147 member states that participate in peacekeeping missions, along with observers including the International Criminal Police Organization.
At the 2026 session, Canada was re-elected as vice chair, while Argentina, Poland, Japan and Egypt were elected as Bureau members.
Delegations from the 147 member states later attended a joint Nigeria-Canada reception held at Nigeria House in New York.