The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, at the UN headquarters in New York City, where the issue of seeking a permanent seat on the Security Council was a top priority in the discussions.
The meeting took place after the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), where Shettima delivered the national address on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. Shettima emphasized the need for the UN to increase its support for Nigeria to achieve its goals, particularly as the country is keen on obtaining a permanent seat on the Security Council.
DISCUSSION TOPICS
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, informed journalists that discussions were held on the desired progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the issue of climate change, and cooperation to strengthen democracy in Nigeria and the African region. Furthermore, Guterres praised the role Shettima played in emphasizing Nigeria's bid for a permanent seat, while also highlighting the importance of the UN in Nigeria, given that several UN offices and agencies are operating in the country.
THE TOPIC OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC WELFARE
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, revealed that Guterres expressed happiness about Nigeria's success in launching the first government-supported multilingual AI model on the African continent. According to him, Guterres requested that Nigeria assist other African countries so that the continent is not left behind in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
On his part, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Poverty Alleviation, and Social Investment, Yusuf Sununu, said Shettima outlined the efforts of the Tinubu administration in reducing poverty and supporting the public. He said the government has a social housing program comprising 18.9 million homes, and over 8.1 million people have already been supported through the conditional cash transfer program.
Sununu also said concerns were raised about the reduction in financial support from some UN agencies, including the WFP program which supported over 1.3 million people with food assistance.
CONFIRMATION OF UN SUPPORT
The UN Secretary-General assured Nigeria of continued support in strengthening government agencies, ensuring the reliability of national data, and securing additional assistance to reduce poverty and improve public welfare. According to him,Guterres thanked President Bola Tinubu and the entire Nigerian government for the cooperation they extend to the UN.