By Enyichukwu Enemanna
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday while addressing world leaders in New York at the ongoing 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, called for debt cancellation of poor countries.
He urged world leaders to address what he described as the burden of unsustainable external debts.
Buhari called on the United Nations to put a mechanism in place to reform the Security Council and other relevant bodies to offer Nigeria and other countries of the world what he called “effective and representative structures”.
This according the Nigerian leader, has become important following plethora of challenges that have outgrown the system under which the United Nations Security Council was established in 1945, insisting that “change is overdue”.
Nigeria and other African countries, have for decades sought the membership of UN Security Council which has as permanent members, China, France, Russia, UK and USA.
President Buhari said the war in Ukraine has created strains that reinforces Nigeria’s call for a nuclear-free world and a universal Arms Trade Treaty.
He said these measures are necessary to prevent global human disasters. “In this regards we must find quick means to reach consensus on the Nuclear non-proliferation Treaty with related commitments by nuclear weapon states” Buhari told the world leaders participating at UNGA 77.
While stating that Nigeria has developed an effective local management as well as international partnerships with multinational initiatives in the fight against Covid-19, he applauded the partnerships and international cooperation that helped in mitigating casualty rate of the pandemic at the initial stage.
Buhari also called for international cooperation in dealing with climate change which according to him poses an existential threat and heightening food insecurity across the globe.
“That same theme of unilateralism and the promotion of national interest competing with the common cause in the face of an existential threat has been our recurring experience in recent times. In every address I have delivered to this august Assembly, I have dwelt on the issue of climate change, especially as it fuels conflicts and complicates food security.
“Climate change reduces opportunity and prosperity which, in Africa, Latin America and some parts of Asia also contribute to transnational organized crimes.
“As part of Nigeria’s efforts at achieving our Global Net-zero aspiration, the current Administration last year adopted a National Climate Change Strategy that aims to deliver climate change mitigation in a sustainable manner,” he said.
