Nigeria at UNGA 81

This year’s United Nations General Assembly, UNGA 81, took place against the backdrop of major global developments that have tested the capacity of statesmen and diplomats to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Indeed, the theme of this year’s UNGA, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all,” aptly captures the moment. It speaks to the immense pressures being brought to bear on the UN system by developments of the past few years, many of which threaten to further weaken an already fragile global order.

The ongoing US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars have emerged among the most serious challenges to the post-Second World War order that has underpinned international peace and security for more than eight decades.

Against this grim backdrop, many well-meaning and highly placed figures around the world have added their voices to the growing demand for fundamental reforms of the United Nations, particularly to enable the organisation to respond more effectively to the realities of a rapidly changing global order.

The Nigerian delegation to UNGA 81, led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, sought to leverage the occasion when he delivered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s address to the Assembly.

In the speech, Vice-President Shettima concentrated on four key areas: reform of the UN Security Council, reform of the international financial system, climate change and multilateral security.

The kernel of the Vice-President’s address was a call for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to include additional permanent members beyond the current five — the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. The speech made a case for two permanent seats for Africa, one of which, it argued, should go to Nigeria in recognition of its longstanding contributions to African and global peacekeeping and conflict-resolution efforts. It cited Nigeria’s interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Darfur, Sudan, among others.

While it is commendable that Nigeria once again raised the issue of inequality in the structure and decision-making processes of the UN, the speech left out some fundamental issues that are at the heart of international relations today.

One such issue is migration, where Nigerians and, indeed, many Africans continue to face significant disadvantages. In recent years, Africans seeking opportunities and safer lives abroad have increasingly faced restrictive immigration policies, suspicion and, in some cases, treatment that borders on criminalisation. The international community cannot continue to build a world in which mobility, opportunity and human dignity are increasingly determined by the accident of nationality or place of birth.

Nigeria should also have raised the issue of the indiscriminate proliferation and sale of arms, many of which eventually find their way into Africa. The continent has suffered, and continues to suffer, enormous human and material losses from wars and conflicts fuelled by the uncontrolled availability of weapons to warring parties. It is time for the international community to confront this problem more decisively and strengthen measures to curb the illicit flow of arms into conflict zones.

We at Daily Trust also note with regret that President Bola Tinubu, for one reason or another, could not make the trip to UNGA for the third time. Without prejudice to the pedigree and candour of the Vice-President, we believe that the UNGA presents a unique opportunity because it brings virtually all world leaders together in one location. It provides a convenient setting for leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest on the sidelines of the formal business of the General Assembly.

Had he been present at the UNGA, President Tinubu would have had the opportunity to engage directly with other world leaders and lobby for the necessary support and assistance on issues ranging from insecurity to the economic reforms being pursued by his administration.

By and large, Nigeria’s participation at UNGA 81 could have been more robust, particularly for a country that has historically regarded itself as a leading voice in Africa and an important player in international affairs. We cannot forget the years when Africa and the wider world looked to Nigeria to speak and lead with clarity on matters affecting the continent.

It is regrettable that, at a time when the international system is undergoing profound changes, Nigeria’s voice appears to be losing some of its resonance.

Africa itself is facing a complex combination of internal and external challenges that require coordinated action, strategic vision and credible leadership. Nigeria, as the continent’s most populous country and one of its largest economies, has a responsibility to provide leadership at both the regional and continental levels.

Daily Trust therefore calls for a recalibration of Nigeria’s foreign policy to reflect more clearly what our manifest destiny points to: the projection and protection of the interests of African and Black people across the world. Our population, diversity, history, resources and heritage confer on us a unique responsibility in this regard.

But such a role cannot be sustained by rhetoric alone. It requires a coherent foreign policy, sustained diplomatic engagement, strategic consistency and the willingness to speak firmly on issues affecting Africa and the wider Black world.

Nigeria must, therefore, reclaim its voice, strengthen its diplomatic presence and play the role expected of it with diligence, confidence and unwavering commitment.

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