The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed has successfully wrapped up her two-day official visit to Nigeria and actively advocated for regional stability and climate action in the West African region.
This was contained in a press statement issued on Monday by the National Information Officer, UN Information Centre (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun providing the details of her visit and agenda.l
The statement noted that during her time in Nigeria, Mohammed focused on mobilising support for key initiatives aimed at enhancing regional stability and advancing climate action, among other critical issues.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General’s visit underscores the UN’s commitment to collaborating with Nigeria and its partners to address pressing challenges and promote sustainable development in the region.
While in Nigeria, she had a series of high-level meetings, including with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Mr. Wale Edun, finance minister, and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
Mohammed also met with Prof Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and senior government officials.
Further, she also met with Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the UN Country Team under the leadership of Mohamed Malick Fall, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
From January 9 to 10, the Deputy Secretary-General, accompanied by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Simão engaged and mobilised support for regional integration, stability and development.
She also rallied support to strengthen the humanitarian-development-peace nexus; pact for the future; partnership for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts and ensure food security.
Furthermore, Mohammed advocated durable solutions to internal displacement and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to enhance Nigeria’s trade and economic relations across the region.
“Member States, including Nigeria, and with the support of the UN and other stakeholders need to deliver more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to ensure a safer and more livable future for both the planet and people everywhere,” she said.
On the ‘Pact for the Future’ as an outcome of the Summit of the Future held in September 2024 in New York, Mohammed emphasised that the Pact remained a sure pathway to getting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.
“The Pact is not a separate agenda from the SDGs. It is one and the same. That is why the first chapter is on SDGs and financing for development.
It is about international peace and security; science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance,” she explained.
The Deputy Secretary General reassured that the United Nations in Nigeria would strengthen its partnership with the government through diligent implementation of the UN and Nigeria Cooperation Framework (2023-2027).
She also assured that the UN would continue to support the development aspirations of the people of Nigeria, leaving no one behind.
