*** *Insists on permanent seat for Nigeria, other African nations at UN Security Council*
*** *Calls for collective action against hunger, terrorism, climate change, others*
*** *Seeks debt forgiveness for developing countries*
*** *Says pursuit of individual national priorities undermining resolutions of global challenges*
VP Shettima
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on world leaders to recommit themselves to multi-lateral by deepening relations among member states of the United Nations (UN) in line with the principles of inclusivity, equality and cooperation.
This, he said, is the surest guarantee of global action against existential challenges faced by the international community.
Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications, Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, on Wednesday, said President Tinubu who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) made the call while addressing world leaders during the General Debate of the ongoing 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, United States.
Represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the high-level annual global event, the President decried the steep descent to singularity and nationalism which, according to him, are undermining the quest for peaceful and collective resolution of global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, poverty, food crises, hyper-inflation, nuclear proliferation and grinding debt burden, among others.
The Nigerian leader reminded the world leaders that the United Nations stands for multi-lateralism which represents inclusiveness, anchored on the tripod of peace, sustainable development and human rights.
He expressed worry about the main objectives of the UN and how it could sustain the global body’s relevance and resilience, noting that the pillars of the organisation are at risk of being broken against the principles of inclusivity, equality and cooperation which it stands for.
President Tinubu stated: “Today, these pillars of our organisation are threatened. They risk being broken by the relentless pursuit of individual national priorities rather than the collective needs of the nations that are assembled here today.
Not satisfied, the President reaffirmed what he termed “Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to the deepening of multi-lateralism,” just as it did 65 years ago when it “joined the United Nations as the 99th Member-State.
President Tinubu also lamented what he described as the return of unconstitutional changes of government and forceful military coups in some African countries, saying these coups attest to how fragile democracy could become when it is not supported by economic development and sustained peace and security.
This, he said, should be of utmost concern in deliberations at the high-level segments of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, as the forceful changes of government have led to “the impatience in cities and villages at the sometimes slow and grinding turn of the wheel of democracy.
President Tinubu also called for reforms in the international financial architecture and a transparent multilateral trading system, expressing hope that “the adoption of the “Pact for the Future” will change the narrative, reposition economies and translate into concrete measures that provide solutions to the challenges faced by developing and least developed countries.
Specifically, he asked the UN to prioritise debt forgiveness for Nigeria and other developing countries from creditors and multilateral financial institutions.
The Nigerian leader called for the recovery of the proceeds of corruption and illicit financial flows, maintaining that the return of such funds to countries of origin “is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
On insecurity, President Tinubu noted that the menace is plunging citizens into untold hardship and misery that, in turn, affect the people’s confidence in democracy, emphasizing that bringing back confidence in democratic rule and constitutional order is the duty of the international community.
President Tinubu however assured that the “High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting hosted by Nigeria in April 2024 and its outcome – “The Abuja Declaration” – promises to provide solutions to the challenges presented by terrorists and insurgents.”
He also warned against the dangers of climate change, describing it as a driver of insecurity that poses a veritable challenge to sustainable development, even as he recalled the devastating flood in Nigeria which submerged large areas of the country, “including one of our largest cities, Maiduguri, in the North-East.”
The Nigerian leader implored the international community to stick to the implementation of the commitments made at the various COP meetings, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to postponing the inevitable, as no country is immune from the effects of climate change.
The President who observed that conflict prevention is the main reason why the UN was established regretted that the task of preventing these conflicts has become arduous following their normalisation “when even the condemnation of violence and civilian casualties, and calls for a ceasefire, are somehow regarded as controversial”.
He listed some of the root causes of conflicts to include poverty, hunger, ignorance, inequality and exclusion, as well as other forms of injustice, just as he cited the conflict in Sudan and the war in Gaza and other Palestinian territories.
President Tinubu further insisted on bold reforms in the UN Security Council with a view to giving Nigeria and other African countries permanent seats at the council, stressing that it has since become imperative for the UN to strengthen its relevance and credibility in a rapidly changing world.
