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Tag: UNGA

  • Nigeria’s Muhammad-Bande exits office as UNGA President

    Nigeria’s Muhammad-Bande exits office as UNGA President

    Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, on Tuesday, leaves office as President of the 74th session of the General Assembly.

    He handed over the gavel to Turkish diplomat and politician, Volkan Bozkir, who will be steering the ship of the 75th session of the 193-member lawmaking body.

    The change of baton took place during the closing ceremony of the 74th session.

    The brief ceremony, held inside the General Assembly Hall at the UN headquarters in New York under strict social-distancing rules, saw UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in attendance.

    In his remarks, Guterres said the 74th session was like no other in the 75-year history of the UN, citing the COVID-19 pandemic made the last seven months extremely difficult for the world.

    The UN Chief congratulated Muhammad-Bande for his sterling leadership that saw the 74th session completing its full programme of work in spite of the enormous challenges.

    “It has been a privilege to work with the General Assembly, our common platform for international consensus and action, during these difficult days, under the leadership of His Excellency Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.

    “Professor Muhammad-Bande’s capable stewardship saw the General Assembly adopt new working methods to continue its work smoothly.

    “He made great efforts to ensure business continuity through regular convening of the General Committee and other online briefings.

    “On a personal note, I would like to thank Professor Muhammad-Bande for his wise, determined and serene approach to those unforeseen challenges, and his excellent judgment under pressure.

    “I commend the patience and support he has demonstrated during these unprecedented times.’’

    Guterres also thanked representatives of member states for their support and cooperation, urging them to extend the same to Bozkir in the 75th session.

  • What COVID-19 has taught us – UNGA President

    Outgoing President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande has highlighted some critical lessons from COVID-19.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the pandemic had further underscored the need for concerted efforts to bridge the global technological gap.

    Muhammad-Bande referenced a UN report indicating that 463 million school children, mostly from developing countries, lack access to remote learning.

    The report says the number represents nearly a third of the world’s 1.5 billion school children forced to stay at home following the closure of their schools due to COVID-19.

    Muhammad-Bande said the situation was particularly painful to him because inclusive quality education is one of the priorities of his presidency.

    “Education, especially learning in schools, has virtually stopped for many because of lack of access to the technologies needed for remote instruction to take place.

    “It, therefore, means that all has to be done to make technologies widely available to all parts of the world for critical things like education and agriculture.

    “In reconstructing their educational infrastructure, countries should learn from what technology can offer.

    “You must leverage technology not as an aside but as an integral element’’.

    The second lesson from the COVID-19 crisis, according to the PGA, is the connectedness of societies, making a problem in one corner of the world a global one.

    This, he said, explains why a disease that broke out in a Chinese town became a global epidemic within a few months with devastating health and socio-economic impacts.

    Muhammad-Bande, who is Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said with this lesson, the world should ensure inclusion in both response to COVID-19 and recovery efforts.

    “We should not joke with this notion that if a vaccines is available and one country is left out, no country is free.

    “You can see the issue of climate change, how reduction in the use of fossil fuels has been positive in many parts of the in terms of quality of air, regeneration of plants, among others.

    “Again, can we find means of doing things differently? This is a critical question that must be addressed by countries in terms of policies,’’ he said.

  • SDGs: UNGA President urges concerted global action against illicit financial flows

    The President of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, has called for concerted global action against illicit financial flows (IFFs) to actualise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Muhammad-Bande made the call in his remarks during the closing session of the 74th UNGA General Debate at the UN Headquarters in New York.

    He said with IFFs robbing the global economy of 2.6 trillion dollars annually, curbing it would save more than enough resources to meet the additional 2.4 trillion dollars required to fund the SDGs.

    “The High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, the first since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Agenda, highlighted the need to mobilise resources to implement the SDGs.

    “To honour our commitments, we need an additional sum of $2.4 trillion.

    “One place to start is by curbing illicit financial flows which siphon 2.6 trillion dollars every year from the global economy,’’ he said.

    Muhammad-Bande also called on UN member states to prioritise good governance to “ensure that corruption does not continue to derail progress and fuel conflict as we approach the year 2030’’.

    The global financial system must meet the needs of all member states and “move them away from unsustainable commitments and high indebtedness,’’ he said.

    Muhammad-Bande made a case for small Island Developing States, which had shown resilience and leadership in hard times.

    “Now, it is up to the world to assist them in every way possible, and to ensure that they participate as equal partners in global economic activities.

    “By helping them we are also helping ourselves and living up to the requirement of our humanity.

    “Fortunately, partnerships underscore all of our actions here at the UN. We will not achieve progress without engaging all stakeholders as equal partners,’’ he said.

    Beyond the High-Level Week, Muhammad-Bande said he looked forward to member states joining forces with the UN to galvanise multilateral efforts towards poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion.

    According to him, current and emerging challenges confronting the world are beyond the powers of individual nations, hence the joint efforts in the search for solutions.

    “Seventy-four years after the founding of the United Nations we remain connected by the search for solutions to current and emerging challenges which cannot be tackled by one Member State alone.

    “The General Debate demonstrated that we have far more that unites us than that which divides us.

    “Many leaders at the General Debate made reference to similar challenges: conflict; violent extremism; nuclear proliferation; migration; climate change; and persisting inequalities.

    “Member states called for a more representative Security Council and cost-effective Secretariat and General Assembly.

    “We have listened and now we must take heed as we move forward collectively throughout the 74th Session,’’ he said.

    Muhammad-Bande thanked all members of the UN, and the U.S for providing the security that made the event successful.

    “I also salute the dedicated staff of the United Nations, notably, the safety and security personnel, the staff of the Pass Office, the protocol teams, the interpreters, the entire members of staff of the DGACM, and of course, the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA).

    “You have proved that you, the staff members, are the resource that the UN relies upon to accomplish its mission and serve the world,’’ he said.(

  • Gender imbalance among UNGA speakers disheartening — Muhammad-Bande

    Gender imbalance among UNGA speakers disheartening — Muhammad-Bande

    President of the UN General Assembly (PGA), Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, has described as disheartening the gender imbalance in the list of speakers at the just-concluded General Debate.

    In his remarks at the closing session on Monday, Muhammad-Bande said only 16 out of the 192 speakers at the forum were women.

    He said: “The General Assembly is the most representative body in the United Nations.

    “However, it is disheartening that, this week, only sixteen of the 192 speakers were women [this figure is to be fact-checked at end of the General Debate].

    “When we speak of a representative United Nations, this is clearly not what we mean.

    “By a representative United Nations, we mean a body that allows every human being to realise their fullest potential, unhindered by their gender or by a history of disadvantage’’.

    While noting that gender equality remained work in progress in the contemporary world, the PGA said efforts should be redoubled to involve women in decision-making structures.

    He also canvassed for gender balance in the list of speakers billed to address high-level fora, adding that women empoweremnt was critical to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    The PGA, however, said the event witnessed active participation by 192 out of the 193 Member States of the UN.

    This, he said, is the “clearest indicator of the acknowledgement of the inter-dependence between and among nations’’.

    In a highly divided world, Muhammad-Bande said multilateralism (joint action) remained the only guarantee of world peace, security and sustainable development.

    His words: “The world will not survive for long unless we cultivate the give-and-take spirit which is a distinct and defining attribute of multilateralism.

    “It is gratifying to note that even those who are a bit skeptical about the direction of multilateralism acknowledge this much.

    “Active participation in the General Debate by 192 of our 193 Member States is the clearest indicator of the acknowledgement of the inter-dependence between and among nations.

    Turning to the youth, Muhammad-Bande said the just-ended High-Level Week of the UN saw them making their voices heard on the need for action to tackle climate change.

    “They marched in their millions all over the world and quite literally took over the General Assembly at the Climate Action Summit.

    “Let me assure you youth– we hear you! But that I hear you does not mean you should lower the volume.

    “ You should continue to make your voice heard at every opportunity you have,’’ he said.

  • UNGA leadership: Nigeria will live up to expectations – Buhari

    UNGA leadership: Nigeria will live up to expectations – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in New York assured the world that Nigeria would live up to expectations in its leadership of the United Nations General Assembly.

    Addressing world leaders at the ongoing General Assembly Debate, Buhari said Nigerians “ are truly grateful, and shall endeavour to live up to the expectorations and responsibilities thrust upon us’’.

    The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, took office as President of the 74th session of the GA on Sept. 17.

    A professor of Political Science and former Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Jos, Muhammad-Bande is the third Nigerian to hold the office in 30 years.

    “Amb. Muhammad-Bande is an experienced and seasoned diplomat and I am confident that he will prove to the international community his suitability for this most demanding assignment,’’ he said.

    Buhari, who mounted the podium at 11.50 a.m. local time (4.50 p.m. Nigerian time), is the fifth leader to speak after the Presidents of Brazil, United States, Egypt and Turkey.

  • Buhari, govs, ministers, others jet to New York for 74th UNGA Session Sunday

    Buhari, govs, ministers, others jet to New York for 74th UNGA Session Sunday

    President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Sunday for New York, United States to participate in the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA74) which opened on Tuesday, September 17.

    The President’s participation at this year’s gathering of world leaders is particularly significant as it coincides with Nigeria’s Presidency of UNGA.

    On June 4, 2019, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, was unanimously elected as the President of UNGA74 – an indication of the country’s high esteem in global reckoning.

    This marks the second time Nigeria would be occupying that prestigious position following late Maj-Gen. Joseph Nanven Garba’s election during UNGA44 in 1989.

    The theme for UNGA74 is, “Galvanizing Multilateral Efforts for Poverty Eradication, Quality Education, Climate Action and Inclusion.”

    The General Debates will kick off on Tuesday, September 24 during which leaders of delegations will present their National Statements as well as speak to the theme of the session.

    President Buhari is scheduled as Number Five Speaker on the first day of the debates – another plus for the country as most world leaders will be listening in the General Assembly Hall while the global audience watches on live television.

    The President is expected to underscore his administration’s commitment to building on the achievements of its three-point agenda following the renewal of his electoral mandate by majority of Nigerians. He will also reaffirm Nigeria’s position on salient global issues.

    While in New York, the Nigerian leader and members of his delegation are expected to participate in the Climate Action Summit with the theme, “A Race We Can Win. A Race We Must Win,” convened by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres; the High-Level meeting organized by the President of UNGA74 on Universal Health Coverage with the theme, “Moving Together to Build a Healthier World”; UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development; High-Level Dialogue on Financial Development as well as High-Level Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

    The Nigerian delegation is also expected to participate at the Side-Events organized by the country’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    These include: SDGs Integration – Bridging the Policy Planning – Budget Gap for the Achievement of SDGs, organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals; Promotion of International Cooperation to Combat Illicit Financial Flows and Strengthen Good Practices on Assets Recovery and Return to Foster Sustainable Development, organized by the Office of the National Coordinator/CEO, African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development/African Peer Review Mechanism (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) in collaboration with the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption bodies.

    Seven European and African countries have confirmed their participation at this event designed to mobilize collective global action against illicit assets and their recovery and return for developmental projects.

    Moreover, the meeting will further boost the profile of President Buhari as the African Union anti-corruption Champion.

    The Federal Ministry of Water Resources is also organising a side-event on Sanitation and Hygiene Campaign for a Clean Nigeria: Sharing Lessons and Key Insights.

    This is crucial for Nigeria as donor nations and organisations are willing to support the country’s target to end open defecation by 2025.

    The Nigerian leader is also billed to hold bilateral meetings with some leaders of other delegations; chief executive officers of big companies keen to invest in the country; Aliko Dangote and Bill Gates on sustaining the polio-free campaign as well as issues on human capital projects and development.

    Before returning to Abuja at the conclusion of his engagements, President Buhari will meet with a select group of top America-based Nigerian businessmen and potential investors.

    The President will be accompanied to New York by Governors Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi and Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmoud; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; and Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire are also members of the delegation.

    Also on the President’s delegation are: Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Sa’adiya Farouk; Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu; Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu; National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; National Coordinator/CEO, NEPAD, Princess Gloria Akobundu; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

  • Just In: Muhammad-Bande emerges UNGA President

    Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, has emerged President of the 74th UN General Assembly.

    Muhammad-Bande, the sole candidate for the position, was elected through acclamation at the 87th plenary meeting of the Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

    He is the second Nigerian to hold the office after Joseph Garba, a retired military officer and diplomat, who led the organ between 1989 and 1990.

    He will be inaugurated in September.