President of Nigeria Addresses General Assembly.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of Nigeria, addresses the general debate of the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly.
24 September 2013
United Nations, New York, USA.
25 September 2013 00:58 Africa/Lagos
AT UN, NIGERIAN PRESIDENT URGES CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO FIGHT TERRORISM
NEW YORK,
24 September 2013 / PRNewswire Africa / - Addressing today General Debate of the 68th United Nations General Assembly, "
http://gadebate.un.org/68/nigeria" Nigerian President
Goodluck Jonathan
called for continued international efforts to overcome transborder
crimes, such as terrorism and piracy, and promoted the fundamentals of
democracy as requisite for sustainable development in
Africa.
Noting the recent terrorist attack in
Nairobi, Kenya,
Mr. Jonathan said that the reign of terror anywhere in the world is an
assault on our collective humanity and urged that “we must stand
together to win this war together.”
Terrorism is a challenge to national stability in
Nigeria,
the President said, particularly in the north-eastern part of the
country where the militant group known as Boko Haram is active.
“We will spare no effort in addressing this menace,” Mr. Jonathan
said, adding that all action is carried out with regard for fundamental
human rights and the rule of law.
Turning to piracy, also a form of terrorism, Mr. Jonathan said
Nigeria
has promoted cooperation to mitigate its impact and consequences. Most
recently, alongside the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) , the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and
the Gulf of
Guinea Commission to confront the menace of piracy in the Gulf of
Guinea.
Mr. Jonathan also noted that
Nigeria adopted the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in April and called for Member States to follow suite.
On the use of chemical weapons, Mr. Jonathan said that
Nigeria condemns “in the strongest possible terms” their use in
Syria, and urged a political solution “including the instrumentality of the United Nations.”
He also highlighted the threat of nuclear weapons, which are as
unsafe in the hands of small Powers as they are in the hands of the
major countries. “It is our collective responsibility to urge the
international community to respond to the clarion call for a peaceful
universe in an age of uncertainty.”
In his statement, Mr. Jonathan, said
Nigeria's
desire and determination to actively cooperate for overall well-being
make the theme of this year's General Debate on the eight anti-poverty
targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the
succeeding post-2015 sustainable development, all the more apt.
He noted that the UN conducted inclusive consultations and surveys
with Nigerians as part of the post-2015 process which will be discussed
by world leaders this week, including a Nigerian-led event on the MDGs
tomorrow on the sidelines of the Assembly debate.
Mr. Jonathan, the first African leader to address the chamber this
morning, noted that a post-2015 development agenda is particularly
relevant “to us in Africa,” where the challenges of poverty, illiteracy,
food insecurity, and climate change continue to engage the attention of
the political leadership.
He said that a new
Africa is emerging, a “renascent
Africa
that has moved away from the era of dictatorship to a new dawn where
the ideals of good governance and an emphasis on human rights and
justice are beginning to drive state-society relations.”
This emergent
Africa will require
“continued support and partnership of the international community,” said
Mr. Jonathan, whose country serves as co-chair on the Expert Committee
on Financing for Sustainable Development. He added, however, that
Africa no longer a “destination for aid but one that is involved in constructive, multi-sectoral exchanges on the global stage.”
In his statement, Mr. Jonathan also highlighted the “apparent lack of
progress” in United Nations reform, particularly on the issue of the
Security Council.
The President of
Nigeria, which is
seeking election for one of the five non-permanent seats on the Council
during 2014 and 2015, today issued a call for democratization of the
body for the “enthronement of justice, equity and fairness” and the
“promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in our world.”
SOURCE UN News Centre
