UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Africa wants at least two permanent seats and two additional non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade told world leaders on Thursday.

    "The world, now more than ever, needs a strong United Nations with reinforced legitimacy," Wade told the 59th session of the UN General Assembly. African nations would decide which countries would be awarded the new seats, he added.

    He welcomed the decision made by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan last year to set up a high-level panel that is to make proposals for change in December.

    Speaking after Wade, Nigerian President Olusegun Obansanjo also stressed the need for those regions of the world that are not represented at the heart of the UN top decision-making body to be given a voice.

    "Nigeria, and indeed Africa, holds the view that the Security Council should be expanded in the permanent and non-permanent categories to make it more representative, effective and acceptable," he said. He expressed his strong belief that Nigeria "is a well qualified candidate" for a permanent seat on the Security Council.

    On Tuesday, Japan, Germany, India and Brazil issued a joint statement, pledging to support each other's bid for permanent seats on the Security Council. Enditem