This is the full transcript of the speech delivered in New York today, as President Goodluck Jonathan addressed the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly.
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| President Goodluck Jonathan, Federal Republic of Nigeria. |
The President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly; Heads of
State andGovernment;
The Secretary-General; Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen
The President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly;
Heads of State and Government;
The Secretary-General;
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen
Mr President,
1. On behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, I salute you as you preside over the 68th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly. I assure you of the full support and
cooperation of the Nigerian delegation.
2. I also wish to extend our commendation to the Secretary-General Mr.
Ban Ki-moon, and place on record, Nigeria’s appreciation for his focused
and committed leadership of the United Nations system.
3. This Session is coming at a particularly trying period when our world
faces a number of critical challenges which make it imperative for us
to work within the Charter of the United Nations to meaningfully address
them.
4. It is therefore apt that the theme, Post 2015 Development Agenda:
Setting the Stage, signposts our desire and determination to actively
cooperate for the improvement of the overall welfare and well-being of
the most vulnerable citizens of the member-states of our Organisation.
5. Nigeria appreciates the consultative nature of designing the
Post-2015 development agenda. Earlier in the year, we supported this
global outreach through inclusive consultations and surveys of a number
of Nigerians who have expressed their aspirations with respect to the
world they expect beyond 2015.
6. A major highlight of this process, which has increased national
ownership of the agenda, is the emphasis on the eradication of poverty
as the overarching principle in the formulation of the successor
framework.
7. Indeed, tomorrow, we will be hosting a side event on the
implementation of the MDGs, in collaboration with the UN, a number of
African countries, and our development partners.
8. As I had cause to say to this Assembly last Session, 2015 is not a
destination but only a milestone to a better, safer, healthier and more
compassionate world. Let us therefore renew our commitment to the
processes that will develop the post-MDGs framework.
Mr. President,
9. This objective is of particular resonance to us in Africa where the
challenges of poverty, illiteracy, food insecurity, and climate change
continue to engage the attention of the political leadership.
10. The good news however, is that in the last decade, a sustained
democratization process across the continent has made significant
difference in governance processes, institutions and structures. Today,
we have 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 is the present reality of Africa that must
replace the old prejudices and assumptions about the continent.
11. We are firm in our conviction that democracy is fundamental to
achieving the requisite stability that will enable the realization of a
sustainable post-2015 development agenda in Africa.
12. This emergent Africa will require the continued support and
partnership of the international community. An Africa that is no longer
merely a destination for aid but one that is involved in constructive,
multi-sectoral exchanges on the global stage. Our continent stands ready
to continue to engage the rest of the world as a partner in formulating
a global development agenda that will guarantee peace, security and
stability.
13. I wish to express my appreciation for Nigeria’s selection as
co-Chair of the Expert Committee on Financing Sustainable Development.
14. The importance of this Committee’s assignment cannot be overstated.
For the post-2015 development agenda to be realistic, it must be backed
by a robust financing framework which I hope will receive the strong
backing of our Organisation’s more endowed members.
Mr. President,
15. Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable peace and security propels the
country to action along with member states of our sub-regional and
continental organisations, whenever stability is threatened in our
continent. In recent years, Africa has had its share of conflicts
notably in Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central
African Republic and Somalia.
16. It is noteworthy that African leaders, with the support of the
international community, have demonstrated the capacity to work in
concert and decisively in pursuit of long-term solutions in the affected
States. While a lot more still needs to be done, we are convinced that
progress is being made.
17. The recent Presidential elections in Mali herald a new beginning
that should translate into peace and prosperity for its people and
provide a stronger basis for stability within the sub-region. I
congratulate President Boubacar Keita. Similarly, the political
transition process in Guinea Bissau holds much promise. Among African
leaders, there is a greater determination and focus on the
transformation of the continent. This is the required impetus for the
achievement of development objectives that will benefit the people, and rebrand the continent even more positively.
18. Although our world has not witnessed a global war since the
establishment of the United Nations, there have been several conflicts
with devastating consequences and impact in virtually all regions of the
world. As global citizens, we have a sacred duty to free our world of
wars, rivalries, ethnic conflicts, and religious divisions. Our
collective effort in our drive for a better world will continue to bind
us together.
Mr. President,
19. Nigeria continues to support the efforts of the United Nations in
addressing the global initiative to combat the menace of the illicit
trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. We have redoubled efforts to
address this onerous challenge within our borders and across the West
African sub-region.
20. In doing so, we also recognize the need for a broad-based global
partnership in the on-going battle against trans-border crimes,
including terrorism and acts of piracy. It is regrettable that these
scourges are sustained by unfettered access by non-state actors to
illicit small arms and light weapons with which they foster insecurity
and instability across our continent. For us in Africa, these are the
‘weapons of mass destruction’!
21. It is therefore, in the light of our collective obligation and
unceasing struggle to end this nightmare, that I congratulate
Member-States on the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in April
this year. Our hope is that upon its entry into force, the ATT would
herald an era of accountable trade in conventional arms which is
critical to the security of nations.
22. In line with our continued commitment to this project, Nigeria has
signed and ratified the Treaty. We will continue to engage other
Member-States for its successful implementation.
Mr. President,
23. Terrorism constitutes a major threat to global peace and security,
and undermines the capacity for sustained development. In Nigeria, the
threat of terrorism in a few States in the North Eastern part of our
country has proven to be a challenge to national stability. We will
spare no effort in addressing this menace. We are therefore confronting
it with every resource at our disposal with due regard for fundamental
human rights and the rule of law.
24. Nigeria will like to place on record its appreciation to the
international community for its support in this regard. The reign of
terror anywhere in the world is an assault on our collective humanity.
Three days ago, the stark reality of this menace was again brought to
the fore by the dastardly terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya. We must
stand together to win this war together.
Mr. President,
25. Piracy, like terrorism, is another menace that has attained
worrisome proportions, especially in Africa’s coastal waters. At the
bilateral and multilateral levels, Nigeria has promoted cooperation to
mitigate its impact and consequences on the security and economies of
the affected coastal states.
26. Indeed, in June this year, the leaders of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African
States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission met in Yaounde,
Cameroon, and came up with practical steps to collectively confront the
menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. This effort will, no doubt,
require reinforcement and wider support and collaborative action on the
part of our international partners.
Mr. President,
27. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile. The reported use
of chemical weapons in the Syrian crisis, is unacceptable. Nigeria
condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the use of chemical weapons
that are prohibited by International Conventions.
28. We applaud the current diplomatic efforts to avert further
escalation of the crisis. We urge all parties involved to end the
violence and seek a negotiated solution, including the instrumentality
of the United Nations.
29. The threat which nuclear weapons pose to the survival of the human
race is to be understood not just in the context of aspirational nations
but also the nations already in possession of such weapons. Nuclear
weapons are as unsafe in the hands of small powers as they are in the
hands of the major powers. 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.
30. We can attain this objective if we adopt measures and policies that
will promote nuclear disarmament, protect and renew our environment, and
push towards an international system that is based on trust, mutual
respect and shared goals.
Mr. President,
31. I believe that I express the concern of many about the slow pace of
effort and apparent lack of progress in the reform of the United
Nations, especially the Security Council. We believe strongly, that the
call for democratization worldwide should not be for States only, but
also, for International Organizations such as the UN. That is why we
call for the democratization of the Security Council.
32. This is desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and
fairness; and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and
balance in our world.
33. Our support for the United Nations Security Council in its primary
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security
has been total and unwavering. We have, in previous membership of the
Council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in
key Council responsibilities. Nigeria has therefore decided to seek
election for the 2014-2015 Non-Permanent Seat of the UNSC.
34. I am pleased to state that Nigeria has received the endorsement of
the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. We
urge this august Assembly to endorse Nigeria’s candidature.
Mr President,
35. Our world continues to be confronted by pressing problems and
threats. No statement that will be made during this Session can exhaust
the extent of these problems. The world looks to us, as leaders, to
provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through
difficult socio-political divisions, and to ensure that we live in a
better world.
36. We have obligations to the present generation, but we have a greater
obligation to generations yet unborn who should one day inherit a world
of sufficiency irrespective of the circumstances of their birth or
where they reside on the globe. We must work to make that world a
reality in recognition of our common heritage.
37. We must strive to eradicate poverty, hunger, disease and human
misery; we must eliminate the scourge of nuclear, chemical, biological,
as well as small arms and light weapons. We must dedicate ourselves to
working together to address global, regional and national challenges and
deliver a more peaceful, equitable and prosperous world for all. It is
our duty. We must not fail.
38. I thank you.
