Abuja, June 24 (EFE) Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said around 30 percent of the issues discussed in the UN Security Council are related to Africa, and yet no country from that continent has a permanent seat in the grouping.
The Spanish leader made the remarks during a meeting with Nigerian President Umaru Yar Adua here Tuesday.
Zapatero said Nigeria contributes the most to UN peace missions and it has a “logical interest” in reforming the Security Council.
This was the first official visit by a Spanish prime minister to the African nation.
The officials of the two countries have also signed several bilateral pacts. Nigeria supplies 25 percent of Spain’s oil and natural gas requirements.
Zapatero’s second trip to sub-Saharan Africa began Monday with the first summit between Spain and the Economic Community of West African States.
Zapatero stressed his administration’s interest in opening new areas of cooperation in West Africa.
He also committed 240 million euros ($332 million) over the next three years for agricultural and food security projects in the region.
Spain’s aid to sub-Saharan Africa reached 1.4 billion euros ($1.94 billion) in 2008.
