Newly-elected Nigerian UN General Assembly President pledges focus on ‘peace and prosperity’ for mos

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Ambassador Tijjani Mohammad Bande, newly-elected President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. (4 June 2019)

4 June 2019

UN Affairs

The global reach of the United Nations makes it “the world’s best hope for peace and security, sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights and social progress”, said the top Nigerian diplomat who will be the next President of the General Assembly.

Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Nigeria’s current UN Permanent Representative, was elected to head the world body by acclamation on Tuesday in the General Assembly Hall in New York and will succeed Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa.

“Peace and security, poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and inclusion will constitute a major priority of my presidency”, said the Nigerian ambassador.

When he takes the reins at opening of the 74th session in September, he committed “to promoting partnerships that are needed from all stakeholders to achieve our objectives, and ultimately ensure that we do our best to ensure peace and prosperity, particularly, for the most vulnerable”.

Mr. Muhammad-Bande spoke about a number of September’s high-level events that will be convened at UN Headquarters in New York to support the Sustainable Development Agenda, including a High-Level Political Forum, the Climate Change Summit, the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, the High-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage, as well as the high-level meeting to review progress made in addressing the priorities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“The promotion of human rights and the empowerment of women and youth deserve special attention, and I will be devoted to the promotion of gender parity throughout the whole UN system, starting from my own Office”, said the president-elect.

Noting that the 75th anniversary of the UN’s founding would be commemorated during his tenure, he called it “a unique opportunity for us to reduce the trust deficit between nations”.

To “achieve the visions of our founding fathers, we must ensure that indifference and cynicism does not creep into our Organization”, he asserted, saying that the 193-nation Assembly “must play its role in bridging the gaps and promoting collective action”.