Speaking during the General Debate of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly ,UNGA, in New York last night, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, hsaid, some permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have offered encouraging, if tentative indications of support on the issue of reform of the Council.
He welcomed indications of support from some permanent members of the Security Council for reform and urged accelerated progress on this issue to strengthen the UN’s relevance and credibility in a rapidly evolving world.
The president emphasized the need for collective action to address global crises such as terrorism, climate change, poverty, and economic instability.
He criticized the growing trend of nationalism and unilateralism, which he said undermines efforts to solve global challenges.
The president stressed that the pursuit of individual national interests is obstructing the collective goals of peace, sustainable development, and human rights, pillars on which the UN was founded.
He called on the international community to act decisively on terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, food insecurity, migration, and climate change.
Billions of dollars spent on conflicts, he argued, have yielded few results and exposed the failures of the global system.
Tinubu expressed concern over the rising threat of military coups in Africa, pointing to their link to economic underdevelopment.
He argued that these coups attest to how fragile democracy could become when it is not supported by economic development and sustained peace and security.
This, he said, should be of utmost concern in deliberations at the high-level segments of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, as the forceful changes of government have led to “the impatience in cities and villages at the sometimes slow and grinding turn of the wheel of democracy.
Addressing global economic inequality, the President urged reforms in the international financial system to better serve developing countries.
He advocated for debt relief for nations burdened by crushing debts, noting that such concessions are essential for the economic progress of countries in the Global South.
Tinubu underscored the devastating impact of climate change, describing it as a key driver of insecurity.
He highlighted recent floods in Nigeria that submerged large areas of the country, including the major city of Maiduguri.
Tinubu called on world leaders to stick to their commitments from previous climate summits, warning that failure to act now would have dire consequences.
He pointed to Nigeria’s efforts in PP counterterrorism and highlighted the importance of the “Abuja Declaration” from the High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting held in April 2024.
Tinubu called on world leaders to recognize the urgency of collective action to tackle the interconnected crises of climate change, security, and economic inequality, warning that failure to address these challenges would only lead to further instability and suffering globally.