…Reinstates Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism, partnership
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New York, United States of America, to attend the 80th week-long session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled to hold in the city from Monday.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President is set to deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the global event, participate in the UN high-level general debates and attend various side events.
This came as the Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar has reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to effective multilateralism and enhanced partnerships.
While in New York, the Vice President will announce Nigeria’s new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and attend the high-level roundtable of the Global Champions on Adequate and Affordable Housing, present Nigeria’s national statement and engage in several bilateral meetings and other engagements.
He was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Amb. Samson Itegboje, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, the Nigerian Defence Attaché in New York, Brigadier General Edward Koleoso, Defence Attaché Washington, Group Captain Sani Kalgo, among others.
According to a release by a presidential spokesman, Stanley Nkwoccha, speaking on Nigeria’s target for this year’s UNGA, Tuggar, said Nigeria was championing the United Nations Global Convention on Taxation, central to the ongoing push to reform the global financial architecture.
He said, “This is something that has put Nigeria in the position of leadership, and you can see that during the briefing for the Vice President, there were Ministers present, senior government officials, and the whole idea of having this briefing is so that we will all be on the same page.
“So, going out engaging, we have to make sure that we promote this; we also promote Nigeria’s push to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, because Africa has something referred to as the common African position.”
The Minister noted that Africa was the only continent or grouping that had a common position on what should be done when it comes to reforming the UN Security Council, insisting that Africa should have a minimum of two permanent seats based on what was referred to as the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.
“We also have the issue of peacekeeping, you know, Nigeria has participated in one of the 60 peacekeeping operations that the United Nations has had. We want to ensure that when it comes to peace, the contributions to peacekeeping, not just troops, but the funding, we are not hit twice.
“Nigeria contributes not only on the African side but indeed also on the UN side. We reiterated Nigeria’s position on the conflict in the Middle East, in Gaza, Palestine, the issue of Eastern Congo, and the conflict in Sudan. The Vice President will be meeting with the Prime Minister of Sudan, and he is also going to participate in the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting,” he said.
Also, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Uba Sani, said Nigeria’s participation in the 80th UNGA would certainly further reposition the country as an investment destination and one of the leading economies in Africa.
“We are looking at areas of our strength. We are here with some ministers and governors. Some of the areas we are looking at have to do with solid mineral resources, in which Nigeria is really doing extremely well.
“We are also looking at other areas of investment that have to do with our economy; that is, the area of Agriculture and other areas of the economy, skills-based education in our country.
“And of course, the Vice President has prepared the Nigerian position that will be delivered on
