NEW YORK, USA – Nigeria’s current UN Permanent Representative, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, was elected to lead the world body by acclamation Tuesday in the General Assembly Hall in New York and will succeed Ecuador’s, Maria Fernanda Espinosa.
“Peace and security, poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and inclusion will constitute a major priority of my presidency,” declared Muhammad-Bande.
When Muhammad-Bande takes the reins at the opening of the 74th session in September, he pledged “to promoting partnerships that are needed from all stakeholders to achieve our objectives, and ultimately ensure that we do our best to ensure peace and prosperity, particularly, for the most vulnerable”.
Muhammad-Bande spoke about many of September’s high-level functions that will be convened at UN Headquarters in New York to back the Sustainable Development Agenda, including a High-Level Political Forum, the High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, the Climate Change Summit, the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, as well as the High-Level Meeting to review progress made in addressing the priorities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“The promotion of human rights and the empowerment of women and youth deserve special attention, and I will be devoted to the promotion of gender parity throughout the whole UN system, starting from my own office,” said the president-elect.
Noting that the 75th anniversary of the UN’s founding would be commemorated during his tenure, he called it “a unique opportunity for us to…
