Nigeria has pledged its commitment to support all efforts to safeguard peace and prevent conflicts both nationally and on the global stage.
Amb. Samson Itegboje, Nigeria’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, made the pledge while delivering Nigeria’s statement at the UN General Assembly’s Annual General on the Report of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC).
Itegboje said: “The culture of safe-guarding peace, keeping peace, restoring peace, building peace and sustaining peace must be entrenched. This is the cardinal value of the UN.
“Nigeria is a country that is diverse in many areas. It has known how fault-lines can be exploited by a few. It also knows how this diversity can be a source of strength.
“This is one of the reasons it has demonstrated commitment to work in consonance with other Member-States to build and sustain peace, and apply the funds for this cause judiciously and progressively.
“Nigeria was also privileged to host an important Side-Event with Canada entitled – ‘Ideas and Global platforms for Preventing Violent Conflict and Sustaining Peace on the Road to 2020′.
“The continued commitment of Nigeria and that of other Member-States, in this regard, was clear and highly encouraging.
“Let me reaffirm Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to supporting all efforts to prevent conflict, resolve conflict or make or build peace where needed. It has shown over the years its commitment to work with others to do these”.
An identified priority for the PBC in 2018 is the Sahel Region, covering Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
Itegboje said these were neighbours who shared common challenges with Nigeria adding as a result, Nigeria has been in the forefront of activities geared towards lasting peace in the region.
“Nigeria championed the establishment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force involving Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria and its Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit.
“The existence of both bodies has made a lot of impact in the areas of saving lives and decimation of Boko Haram insurgents in the region,” he said.
He emphasised the need for a holistic approach to address the multi-dimensional threats facing the countries of the Sahel region and their people, calling on regional and’ international partners to act with greater synergy and unity of purpose.
While stressing the need to invest for the future of the Sahel, Itegboje said only concurrent, integrated and coordinated efforts in the fields of security and development could bring about lasting peace and stability in the region.
“It is our hope that these calls for a holistic approach will be brought into fruition,” the Nigerian envoy said.
He also said that the Peace Building Fund was invaluable because it was dealing with issues such as food insecurity, poverty, climate change, terrorism, and transnational organised crimes, among others. (NAN)
Leave a Reply