Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that insecurity will top Nigeria’s agenda at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.
Onyeama also said Nigeria will canvass for the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly, next year.
Onyeama, who briefed journalists, in Abuja, said President Muhammadu Buhari will lead the Nigerian delegation which will include ministers and heads of agencies, even as he said that Nigerians from the private sector will attend the events.
Noting that UNGA is the biggest global meeting of Heads of States, Onyeama said it is extremely important and a real opportunity for Nigeria as a country to engage with other countries of the world to further the nation’s interest.
The theme for the 73rd UNGA is ‘Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.’
READ ALSO: MASSOB wants United States of Biafra from Nigeria
Speaking further, Onyeama said the first thing is making the UN really relevant for all people, adding that in all Nigeria’s engagements during the 73rd UNGA, the nation will push for the relevance of the UN to Nigeria and to respond to the nation’s priorities and needs.
Onyeama also said global leadership is extremely important, saying that President Buhari’s address during the General Assembly will offer the President, the opportunity to assert Nigeria’s position on the global stage and put forward, the nation’s ideas and vision.
Onyeama further said that during the General Assembly, Nigeria will highlight that the United Nations have shared responsibilities as a global community, that whatever happened in one part of the world, will affect the other part.
“So, we are a global common and that has to be stressed. Again, in Mr President’s statement, he would want to bring that out and pointing out that shared responsibility in addressing issues that are happening outside our borders, around the world that we are concerned about.
“Terrorism for instance, is a global challenge that we all face. Climate Change is a global challenge; achieving Sustainable Development Goals is a global objective and eradicating extreme poverty is a global challenge; development issues, reform of the United Nations; so, he will be engaging with these issues, pointing out that it is global and we have to face these challenges globally,” Onyeama said.
Onyeama further said Nigeria will push for the presidency of the 74th United Nations General Assembly to enable a Nigerian occupy the position.
Onyeama specifically said Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Tijjani Bande, is being proposed for the President of the United Nations General Assembly next year.
“So, part of what we will be doing in New York, is that we will be canvassing for his appointment next year as the President of the United Nations General Assembly,” Onyeama further said.
Onyeama recalled that the last Nigerian who held the position was Major General Joseph Nanven Garba from 1989 to 1990.
READ ALSO: Libya’s Tripoli airport closed again due to indiscriminate shelling – Ministry
Onyeama also said Nigeria will participate in high level meetings/events such as High Level Plenary Meeting known as the Mandela Peace Summit, a summit that will be held on September 24th to mark the centenary birthday of late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, with emphasis on peace.
Onyeama also said there will be a High Level Meeting on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including a two-day event on World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit.
The issue of corruption, according to Onyeama, will also take center stage as President Buhari who is the African Union Champion of anti-corruption for the year 2018, will organise a meeting of African Heads of State on the issue of winning the fight against corruption.