Nigeria has been elected to chair the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, widely regarded as the UN’s most strategic committee, for a record 54th time.
Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Ambassador Syndoph Endoni, was elected Chair of the committee, also known as C-34, by acclamation at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the opening of the 2026 session.
Nigeria has maintained a long-standing leadership role in the committee since 1972, reflecting its status as one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping operations. The country currently ranks 15th globally and eighth in Africa among troop contributors.
Speaking during the General Debate of the 2026 C-34 session, Endoni reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to peace and dialogue.
“Nigeria has consistently placed peace, unity and dialogue at the core of its national identity and foreign policy. As such, we remain committed to peaceful conflict resolution and continue to contribute actively to peacekeeping efforts within Africa and beyond,” he said.
He also highlighted the increasing importance of innovation and technology in modern peacekeeping, including data-driven decision-making, enhanced situational awareness tools and responsible technology integration to improve force protection and mandate delivery.
The envoy underscored the need for discipline, accountability and due process in peacekeeping missions, adding that Nigeria stands ready to strengthen the work of the Special Committee.
Endoni said that the re-election reinforces Nigeria’s standing among the comity of nations and strengthens its leadership role within the UN system, particularly in peacekeeping operations.
The committee is the only UN body mandated to review all aspects of United Nations peacekeeping operations and make recommendations to enhance their effectiveness.
Currently, more than 100,000 military, police and civilian personnel from 125 countries serve in 14 peacekeeping missions worldwide, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, the Central African Republic and Lebanon.
Established in 1965 by the UN General Assembly, the committee comprises 147 member states involved in peacekeeping missions, alongside observers such as the International Criminal Police Organisation.
At the session, Canada was re-elected as Vice Chair, while Argentina, Poland, Japan and Egypt were elected as Bureau members. Delegations were later hosted at a joint Nigeria-Canada reception at Nigeria House in New York.