Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after leading the country's delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States. He represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the annual gathering of world leaders, advancing Nigeria's demand for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, fairer development financing, and stronger climate support.
Shettima departed Abuja on September 20 to lead Nigeria's delegation to the General Assembly. His return was announced on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha. The Presidency had earlier confirmed that Tinubu delegated Shettima to represent him at the UN gathering. At the General Debate, Shettima delivered Tinubu's National Statement, restating Nigeria's position that the architecture of global governance must be reformed.
Nigeria pressed for reforms to the international financial system, increased climate financing, and deeper multilateral cooperation to address development, security, and other challenges confronting developing economies. Shettima also participated in the Third High-Level Roundtable of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, where Tinubu challenged African countries to break away from exporting raw minerals without capturing sufficient value from their natural resources.
The President's position, delivered at the meeting, was that African countries should deepen local processing, refining, manufacturing, and other forms of value addition to create jobs, strengthen domestic industries, and retain a greater share of the economic benefits from the continent's mineral wealth. Shettima also represented Nigeria at a high-level education financing event co-hosted by Nigeria and Italy.
At the event, Nigeria backed the Global Partnership for Education's $5 billion financing campaign, underscoring the need for stronger international investment in education, particularly in developing countries facing significant financing gaps. Shettima met Nigerians in the Diaspora, urging them to deploy their investment, professional expertise, and international networks towards Nigeria's development.
According to the Presidency, Shettima held engagements with the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States Commission and met United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed as part of Nigeria's diplomatic consultations on the margins of the Assembly. Across the engagements, the Vice President pushed Nigeria's positions on development financing, regional integration, and economic cooperation.
Shettima's participation at the UNGA came while Tinubu was on a working vacation in Europe. The President left Nigeria on August 30 for London before proceeding to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and business leaders.
Key points
- Shettima delivered Tinubu's message demanding permanent African seats on the Security Council.
- Nigeria backed the Global Partnership for Education's $5 billion financing campaign.
- Shettima urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to invest in Nigeria's development.
