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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSpeaking on the debt burden, Tinubu said, \u201cSimilarly, we must ensure that any reform of the international financial system includes comprehensive debt relief measures, to enable sustainable financing for development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCountries of the global South cannot make meaningful economic progress without special concessions and a review of their current debt burden,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tinubu called for the recovery of proceeds of corruption and illicit financial flows, stating that the return of such funds to countries of origin \u201cis a fundamental principle of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTherefore, the international community must promote practical measures to strengthen international cooperation to recover and return stolen assets and to eradicate safe havens that facilitate illicit flows of funds from developing countries to the developed economies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The President decried the steep descent to singularity and nationalism which, according to him, were 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Nigerian leader reminded the world leaders that the United Nations stood for multilateralism which represented inclusiveness, anchored on the tripod of peace, sustainable development and human rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He expressed worry about the main objectives of the UN and how it could sustain the global body\u2019s relevance and resilience, noting that the pillars of the organisation are at risk of being broken against the principles of inclusivity, equality and cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile commitment to multilateralism offers us the surest guarantee of global action to address the existential challenges we face, singularity and nationalism are undermining the aspirations towards the peaceful and collective resolution of such challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom last year\u2019s summit, and indeed from previous years, we have carried over the numerous challenges of terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, poverty, racial discrimination, human rights abuses, food crises, hunger, irregular migration, piracy, global pandemics, hyper-inflation, nuclear proliferation, grinding debt burden, climate change, and a host of other vexations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe continued manifestation of these challenges testifies to our failings rather than to any lofty achievements on our part. Billions of dollars are being committed to the prosecution of wars and the fanning of the embers of conflict,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tinubu reaffirmed what he termed \u201cNigeria\u2019s steadfast commitment to the deepening of multilateralism,\u201d just as it did 65 years ago when it joined the United Nations as the 99th member-state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe remain committed to that desire to remain friendly with all nations and participate actively in the works of the United Nations, as expressed by our founding Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking on recent developments in Africa, Tinubu lamented what he described as the return of unconstitutional changes of government and forceful military coups in some African countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said these coups attested to how fragile democracy could become when it was not supported by economic development and sustained peace and security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This, he said, should be of utmost concern in deliberations at the high-level segments of the 79th Session of the General Assembly, as the forceful changes of government had led to \u201cthe impatience in cities and villages at the sometimes slow and grinding turn of the wheel of democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur people need employment. They need decent livelihoods. They desire good and affordable education and healthcare for their children and families. They need to live in healthy, safe and secure environments. They need hope and they need opportunity,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President also called for reforms in the international financial architecture and a transparent multilateral trading system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He expressed hope that the adoption of the \u201cPact for the Future\u201d would change the narrative, reposition economies, and lead to concrete measures that address the challenges faced by developing and least-developed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is for this and other reasons that we reiterate the call by countries, especially of the global South, for reform of the international financial architecture and promotion of a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On insecurity, Tinubu noted that the menace was plunging citizens into untold hardship and misery that, in turn, affected the people\u2019s confidence in democracy, stressing that bringing back confidence in democratic rule and constitutional order was the duty of the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe cannot build durable societies with the threat of terrorism, banditry and insurgency growing in our countries and regions. Indeed, violent extremism remains an existential threat to both national and international peace, security and development. We are making concerted efforts to contain and roll back this threat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tinubu, however, assured the world leaders that the \u201cHigh-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting\u201d hosted by Nigeria in April 2024 and its outcome \u2013 The Abuja Declaration \u2013 promised to provide solutions to the challenges presented by terrorists and insurgents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He warned against the dangers of climate change, describing it as a driver of insecurity that posed a veritable challenge to sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President recalled the devastating flood in Nigeria which submerged large areas of the country, \u201cincluding one of our largest cities, Maiduguri, in the North-East.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Nigerian leader implored the international community to stick to the implementation of the commitments made at the various Conference of the Parties meetings, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to postponing the inevitable, as no country was immune to the effects of climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President, who observed that conflict prevention was the main reason the UN was established, regretted that the task of preventing these conflicts had become arduous following their normalization, \u201cwhen even the condemnation of violence and civilian casualties, and calls for a ceasefire, are somehow regarded as controversial.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He listed some of the root causes of conflicts, including 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat this tells us is that the international community has failed to live up to the spirit and aspirations of the United Nations to rid the world of inequality, violence and domination of one people by another. Justice is antithetical to revenge,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President further insisted on bold reforms in the UN Security Council to give Nigeria and other African countries permanent seats at the council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said it had since become imperative for the UN to strengthen its relevance and credibility in a rapidly changing world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. Its 15 permanent members are charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving changes to the UN Charter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UNSC also establishes peacekeeping operations, enacts international sanctions and authorises military operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tinubu said, \u201cSome permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have offered encouraging, if tentative, indications of support on the issue of reform of the Council. We welcome the change in tone and urge an acceleration in momentum to the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Security Council should be expanded, in the permanent and non-permanent member categories, to reflect the diversity and plurality of the world. We fully support the efforts of Secretary-General Guterres in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfrica must be accorded the respect that it deserves in the Security Council. Our Continent deserves a place in the permanent members category of the Security Council, with the same rights and responsibilities as other Permanent Members.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" President Bola Tinubu has called on world leaders to prioritise debt forgiveness for Nigeria and other developing countries from creditors and multilateral financial institutions. The President also asked the United<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_rishi_post_view_count":297},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","rishi-post"],"rishi__cb_customizer_meta":"","comments_count":"0","yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.punchng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/25051635\/UNGA1.jpg\")
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