UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) briefs reporters together with Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Abuja, after their meeting during the Secretary-General’s visit to the country May 04, 2022. (Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made his first visit to Nigeria Wednesday since heading the world body during which he said Africa’s most populous nation is a critical, steadfast partner of the UN. Standing next to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, Guterres spoke of the global importance of the west African nation during a press conference with reporters.
“Nigeria is a pillar of continental and global cooperation – and a steadfast partner of the United Nations. This is a visit of solidarity with all Nigerians, but particularly with the victims of terrorism that I yesterday met in Borno. I believe Nigeria and its people have a big role to play in shaping solutions to the global crises engulfing our world. Above all, Nigeria is a country where Africa’s promise and potential come to vivid life.
-UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
“Enormous Challenges” Faced by northeastern Nigerian state Borno
The UN Secretary-General visit to Nigeria Wednesday was his final day on his trip to West Africa in which he traveled first to Niger then Senegal. He said the “enormous challenges” faced by the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, which include a continuing terrorist insurgency, need to be recognized by the international community to create what the UN Secretary-General has called a “state of hope and a state of reality”, in a region which he said did not live up to its reputation for “terrorism, violence, displacement or despair.” Borno has been one of the epicentres of violent extremism and terrorist activity in Nigeria and across the wider Sahel region. The UN says that humanitarian needs in northeastern Nigeria continue to be large-scale, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and deteriorating food security situation, due to the challenges farmers face both growing and selling produce. An estimated 8.4 million people need humanitarian and protection assistance. Of those around 3.2 million people are not getting enough food to eat.
“We are very active in support of the humanitarian efforts of the Nigerian government, and that is why we have called for an additional $351 million as part of the overall $1.1 billion for the humanitarian response plan for Nigeria.” -Guterres said.
UN Secretary-General “Not Neglecting” Nigeria Despite Never Visiting Before – Spokesperson
Since 2017, Guterres has served as secretary-general of the United Nations, and had not visited Nigeria as head of the UN before. However, his spokesperson told Diplomatic Times during a press briefing at world headquarters in New York Thursday that the UN chief had not been neglecting Nigeria “in any way shape or form.”
By Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, briefs reporters at UN world headquarters in New York.
“I don’t think he’s been neglecting it (Nigeria). There have been a number of trips to Africa that were supposed to be had in the last two years. Some of them have been cancelled at the last minute. Nigeria is, as the Secretary-General has said, a critical partner for the U.N. in many facets of our multilateral work. As you also may know, our Deputy Secretary General (Amina J. Mohammed) has also gone to Nigeria a number of times. So, I don’t think this should be interpreted as neglect in any way shape or form. There are a lot of… I mean, there are a number of critical countries — and of course, every 193 of our Member States are critical — that he hasn’t been able to go to and is… I mean, travel has been curtailed, to say the least, since the start of the pandemic.”
-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General
