President Tinubu Prepares for Debut at UN General Assembly in New York.

By Caroline Ameh

President Bola Tinubu is gearing up for a historic moment as he prepares to make his debut appearance at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. This marks President Tinubu’s first participation in the UNGA.

The announcement was made by the President’s spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, in an official statement released on Saturday.

The theme of this year’s UNGA is “Rebuilding trust and Reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all.”

On the opening day of the High-Level General Debate on September 19, President Tinubu is set to deliver his inaugural National Statement, addressing a myriad of pressing global issues. Prior to this, he will join fellow world leaders in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (UN 2023 Summit on SDGs).

The President’s address is expected to encompass crucial topics such as sustainable development, climate change, global cooperation, and the urgent need to address inequalities and humanitarian crises on a global scale.

President Tinubu’s agenda in New York extends beyond his speech at the General Debate. He is scheduled to participate in several high-level meetings, including those focusing on Financing for Development, Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit, Universal Health Coverage, and Reform of the Global Financial Architecture, among others.

During his visit, President Tinubu will engage in bilateral meetings with prominent world leaders, including the Presidents of the European Union Commission, Brazil, and South Africa, among others. He also plans to promote his economic development agenda, aiming to attract substantial investments from transnational corporations such as Microsoft, Meta Technologies, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, and others.

In a significant and historic moment, President Tinubu will conduct the NASDAQ closing ceremony at the NASDAQ Headquarters in New York City during its trading session, becoming the first African President to do so.

Also, President Tinubu will address the Nigerian SMEs Business Summit, emphasizing the increasing importance of Nigerian enterprises in global trade.

Accompanying the President on this momentous international journey are several governors and high-ranking government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of the Economy & Finance, Wale Edun; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Mohammed Pate; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.

Also in the delegation are the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, along with other senior government officials.