President Bola Tinubu has called on world leaders to recommit to multilateralism by deepening relations among member states of the United Nations (UN) in accordance with the principles of inclusivity, equality, and cooperation. He stated that this approach is the surest guarantee of global action against the existential challenges faced by the international community.
As Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Tinubu made this call while addressing world leaders during the General Debate of the ongoing 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York.
Represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, at this high-level annual global event, Tinubu expressed concern over the increasing trend towards singularity and nationalism, which he believes undermine efforts to find peaceful and collective resolutions to global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, poverty, food crises, hyperinflation, nuclear proliferation, and the crippling debt burden.
The Nigerian leader reminded attendees that the United Nations stands for multilateralism, anchored on the tripod of peace, sustainable development, and human rights. He raised alarm about the UN’s core objectives and its ability to maintain relevance and resilience, noting that the pillars of the organisation are at risk of being eroded by the pursuit of individual national priorities rather than collective needs.
President Tinubu stated: “Today, these pillars of our organisation are threatened. They risk being broken by the relentless pursuit of individual national priorities rather than the collective needs of the nations assembled here today.
“While commitment to multilateralism offers us the surest guarantee of global action to address the existential challenges we face, singularity and nationalism are undermining aspirations towards peaceful and collective resolutions.”
He highlighted the ongoing challenges of terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, poverty, racial discrimination, human rights abuses, food crises, hunger, irregular migration, piracy, global pandemics, hyperinflation, nuclear proliferation, and climate change. “The continued manifestation of these challenges testifies to our failings rather than any lofty achievements on our part. Billions of dollars are being committed to the prosecution of wars and the fanning of the embers of conflict.”
Not satisfied, the President reaffirmed Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism, as expressed when the nation joined the United Nations as the 99th Member State 65 years ago. “We remain committed to the desire to remain friendly with all nations and participate actively in the works of the United Nations,” he noted, quoting founding Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
President Tinubu also lamented the return of unconstitutional changes of government and forceful military coups in some African countries, stating that these events highlight the fragility of democracy when not supported by economic development, sustained peace, and security. This issue should be of utmost concern in discussions at the high-level segments of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, as these changes have led to “impatience in cities and villages at the sometimes slow and grinding turn of the wheel of democracy.”
“Our people need employment. They need decent livelihoods. They desire good and affordable education and healthcare for their children and families. They need to live in healthy, safe, and secure environments. They need hope and opportunities,” he added.
President Tinubu called for reforms in the international financial architecture and a transparent multilateral trading system, expressing hope that the adoption of the “Pact for the Future” will change the narrative, reposition economies, and translate into concrete measures that provide solutions to the challenges faced by developing and least developed countries.
“It is for this reason and others that we reiterate the call by countries, especially those of the global South, for reform of the international financial architecture and the promotion of a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, and transparent multilateral trading system,” he stated.
Emphasising the dangers of deviating from multilateralism, the Nigerian leader also drew the UN’s attention to the global debt burden that undermines the ability of countries to meet the needs of their citizens, trade barriers, and protectionist policies that destroy hope for nations, as well as uncontrollable competition that hampers global investments.
Specifically, he urged the UN to prioritise debt forgiveness for Nigeria and other developing countries from creditors and multilateral financial institutions. “Similarly, we must ensure that any reform of the international financial system includes comprehensive debt relief measures to enable sustainable financing for development. Countries of the global South cannot make meaningful economic progress without special concessions and a review of their current debt burden,” he stated.
The Nigerian leader also called for the recovery of proceeds from corruption and illicit financial flows, maintaining that returning such funds to their countries of origin is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. “Therefore, the international community must promote practical measures to strengthen international cooperation to recover and return stolen assets and eradicate safe havens that facilitate illicit flows from developing countries to developed economies,” he added.
On insecurity, President Tinubu noted that the menace plunges citizens into untold hardship, affecting their confidence in democracy. He emphasised that restoring confidence in democratic rule and constitutional order is the duty of the international community. “We cannot build durable societies with the growing threats of terrorism, banditry, and insurgency in our countries and regions. Violent extremism remains an existential threat to both national and international peace, security, and development. We are making concerted efforts to contain and roll back this threat,” he said.
President Tinubu assured that the “High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting,” hosted by Nigeria in April 2024, along with its outcome—“The Abuja Declaration”—promises to provide solutions to the challenges presented by terrorists and insurgents.
He also warned against the dangers of climate change, describing it as a driver of insecurity that poses a serious challenge to sustainable development. He recalled the devastating floods in Nigeria that submerged large areas, including one of the nation’s largest cities, Maiduguri, in the North-East. The Nigerian leader implored the international community to adhere to the commitments made at various COP meetings, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to postponing the inevitable, as no country is immune from the effects of climate change.
The President, who observed that conflict prevention is the primary reason for the UN’s establishment, regretted that the task of preventing these conflicts has become arduous following their normalisation, “when even the condemnation of violence and civilian casualties, and calls for a ceasefire, are somehow regarded as controversial.”
He listed some root causes of conflicts as poverty, hunger, ignorance, inequality, exclusion, and other forms of injustice, citing the conflict in Sudan and the war in Gaza and other Palestinian territories. “What this tells us is that the international community has failed to live up to the spirit and aspirations of the United Nations to rid the world of inequality, violence, and the domination of one people by another. Justice is antithetical to revenge,” he stated.
President Tinubu further insisted on bold reforms in the UN Security Council, advocating for permanent seats for Nigeria and other African countries. He stressed that it has become imperative for the UN to strengthen its relevance and credibility in a rapidly changing world.
He said, “Some permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have offered encouraging, if tentative, indications of support for reform of the Council. We welcome this change in tone and urge an acceleration of momentum in this process.
“The Security Council should be expanded, both in the permanent and non-permanent member categories, to reflect the diversity and plurality of the world. We fully support the efforts of Secretary-General Guterres in this regard.
“Africa must be accorded the respect it deserves in the Security Council. Our continent deserves a place in the permanent members’ category, with the same rights and responsibilities as other permanent members.”
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