Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande says Nigeria is a strong voice on the global stage and has been a pre-eminent regional voice for Africa.
Muhammad-Bande told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the world had also been listening to Nigeria’s voice on the global stage.
He cited the likes of the Director-General of World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the President of African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina among others.
“We have a voice that is listened to. We have seen Dr Okonjo-Iweala; it is an attestation of what Nigeria can do. We have also seen how Adesina has done extremely well,’’ the envoy said.
“Nigeria has also given a voice to Africa’s issues and third world nations in relation to peace, justice and development.
“Nigeria, therefore, has a very important role to play at the global debates as a Member State, as a country in West Africa and as a country in Africa.’’
Muhammad-Bande, who was elected President of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, was the second Nigerian to attain the position while Nigeria was one of only three countries to have held the position twice.
He said Nigeria had given a voice to African issues and would continue to reiterate its calls for global issues like counter-terrorism in the region and around the world.
The envoy said Nigeria had been participating in various UN General Assembly activities since it joined the organisation in 1960 soon after the country gained independence.
Meanwhile, Muhammad-Bande has advised the new President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid to focus on the prosperity of Member States.
The Nigerian envoy said the new President of GA should understand the concerns and fears of all Member States and find a middle ground to address their fears.
Muhammad-Bande said Shahid should listen to the fears of Member states, noting that capacities are different because what might bean urgent issue for some countries would have been passed long time ago for others.
“The UNGA President should use whatever instrument within the system to help those countries address their fears because a world that everybody feels comfortable and is not driven by fears is a far safer one. (NAN)
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