Terrorism, security to top Buhari’s address at UN Assembly
President Buhari
TERRORISM and global security are expected to dominate President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the 70th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly as he leaves Nigeria for New York today.
Besides, he is expected to engage in series of meetings and interactions with notable world leaders within and on the sidelines of the main events.
On the agenda of President Buhari’s talks, according to a statement from his spokesman, Femi Adesina, are deliberations and interactions on domestic and developmental issues as they affect the relationship with Nigeria.
There are also bilateral relations, war against terrorism, countering violent extremism, enhancement of global security, peace-keeping operations, climate change and the adoption of a post-2015 global development agenda.
Besides his discussions with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Buhari is also scheduled to hold discussions with President Barack Obama of the United States (U.S.), President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and others on developmental issues.
President Buhari, who will be accompanied by Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State); National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (rtd) and the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment, would deliver Nigeria’s statement at the Assembly on Monday, September 28.
The statement said President Buhari is also scheduled to address the World Leaders Summit on violent extremism to which the UN Secretary-General personally invited him (Buhari) during his recent visit to Nigeria.
The statement further said: “Also on the President’s busy schedule in New York are a meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, a high-level roundtable talk on South-South Co-operation organised by President Xi Jinping of China and the United Nations, and participation in the launching of an updated global health strategy for women and children.
“On President Buhari’s schedule too are meetings with former President Bill Clinton of the U.S., Mr. Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which is assisting Nigeria in several areas, including polio eradication, and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain, the United Nations Special Envoy on Global Education who is one of the main drivers of the Safe Schools Initiative.
“The President will conclude his visit to New York on Tuesday, September 29 and leave the city for Abuja on the same day.”
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6 Comments
Africa has never stood its ground in the past it’s no small feat for President Buhari and I commend him for his performance and courage. They can’t bully you if you know your place and the African perspective is as legitimate as any other in these discussions.
Mr. President its full schedule and well organized meetings, BUT you have to stress to the Leaders Trade is two way street , Nigerian needs open market too , real business and asking them to Open factories in Nigeria with their own Electricity Power to give them tax breaks for doing business in Nigeria, American and China is very needed Mr. President , I cant say much than don’t let them push you around in Security, they have their own problems , its the most difficult issue facing the World today , Nigerian can handle the Boko Haram, if the People cooperate with the Agency and the forces, that WAR can be WON, Education is very needed in the North, nobody is very sincere about that , People without education cant move the Country forward , you know quite well 10 Million plus Nigerian is not in School, mostly from the North , Nigeria needs President who can say no child should be left behind in education poor or rich, all that is attached to bold initiative that You must go to school to be better Nigerian tomorrow, The banking system changing, Health Care , also many technologies eg. Smartphones, Internet in Schools. , Remember Nigeria needs their own Policy not the Policy of the RICH Nations of the Western World, I wish you all the very best President , God willing you will bring back the Nation on Track..
The President’s laudable mission to drum up the much needed investments in Nigeria would be fruitless if Nigeria does not first create an enabling environment for domestic and foreign investment to thrive. There are many challenges to overcome, including addressing the pervasive and growing inequality that is fueling instability, investing in training the security operatives including the police to meet challenges of the 21st century , tackling endemic corruption, and using all the available assets in our disposal to tackle the rampant menace of kidnapping for ransom all over the nation. No sane foreign investor would venture to put his money in a country where he is likely to be kidnapped by a bunch of low life morons.
Nigeria is now closely enjoying political stability, which is another key to unlocking investment interests. Nigeria has an enormous potential for growth. As long as the entire indicators for security of lives and properties are addressed, both domestic and foreign investors will be falling over themselves to have a share of the action and our millions of the
unemployed will be the ultimate beneficiaries.
Busy schedule indeed! But what is the crux of the message that PMB will be taking to New York? Sometimes African Heads of State (not just PMB) like to embark on this almost useless trips, perhaps for photo ops. The main thing to me is the overall message or policy direction that the President will be selling to the international community. Is there a coherent economic plan or investment program that will be marketed at the meetings? That said, all the best, PMB!
No economic team in place, i wander what he is going to discuss there. Buhari is an unrepentant dictator taking decisions alone and issuing orders, that is why he is reluctant to appoint ministers who he calls noise makers.
It would have been tantamount to a fundamental blunder to let the issue of security alone overshadow the imperative need to task the UN to address global poverty, underdevelopment,global trade imbalances, refugee crisis,,,climate fluctuations and corruption or even the need to set up an international anticorruption court.Nothing should distract any focussed nation from the bigger picture..
We will review and take appropriate action.