Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after leading the country’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States, where he advanced Nigeria’s call for reforms to the global governance and financial systems.
Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the annual gathering of world leaders, used his engagements to push Nigeria’s demand for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, improved development financing, increased climate support and greater economic opportunities for developing countries.
The Vice President departed Abuja on September 20 following Tinubu’s mandate to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the General Assembly.
His return was announced on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha.
The Presidency had earlier confirmed that Tinubu delegated Shettima to represent him at the UN gathering.
At the General Debate, Shettima delivered Tinubu’s national statement, reiterating Nigeria’s position that the architecture of global governance should reflect contemporary geopolitical realities, including through permanent African representation on the Security Council.
Nigeria also called for reforms to the international financial system, increased climate financing and stronger multilateral cooperation to address development and security challenges confronting developing economies.
Beyond the General Debate, Shettima participated in the Third High-Level Roundtable of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, where Tinubu challenged African countries to move away from the longstanding practice of exporting raw minerals without deriving sufficient value from their natural resources.
The President, in remarks delivered at the meeting, called for greater local processing, refining, manufacturing and other forms of value addition to create jobs, strengthen domestic industries and enable African countries to retain a larger share of the economic benefits from their mineral wealth.
Shettima also represented Nigeria at a high-level education financing event co-hosted by Nigeria and Italy.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s position that education was a strategic investment in productivity, human capital development and long-term economic growth.
At the event, Nigeria backed the Global Partnership for Education’s $5 billion financing campaign, stressing the need for increased international investment in education, particularly in developing countries facing significant funding gaps.
The Vice President also engaged Nigerians in the Diaspora, urging them to deploy their investments, professional expertise and international networks to support Nigeria’s development.
According to the Presidency, Shettima also held consultations with the new leadership of the Economic Community of West African States Commission and met the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.
The engagements provided opportunities for Nigeria to advance its positions on development financing, regional integration, economic cooperation, technology, peace and security, while reiterating the administration’s call for a more representative international system.
Shettima’s participation at the UNGA came as President Tinubu was on a working vacation in Europe.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London before proceeding to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and business leaders.
The Presidency said the President continued to direct the affairs of state while abroad and delegated Shettima and other senior government officials to represent him at official engagements.
