…Says insurgency must be tackled from the roots
The United Nations (UN) is concerned with the insecurity in Nigeria and the the sub-region, Deputy UN Secretary General, Dr Amina Mohammed, said.
This is as she called for a sustained and more coordinated efforts towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mohammed who has been in the country on holiday spoke on Tuesday during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama.
The UN under Secretary who was responding to question from Journalists said truly the global body is concerned with insecurity in Nigeria, she however pointed out the need to take the root cause.
She also disclosed that UN has been working with Nigeria, the ECOWAS and with the whole region to address the scourge even as she called for more investment in the education of the region’s youths.
“We have to invest in their education, their services and strengthen local governments, we will be partnering with government to make sure that happens. We will partner with the security agencies not just in Nigeria but across the region,” she said.
On the efforts to curtail Covid-19, Mohammed called for a sustained and more coordinated efforts towards ensuring recovery from the dreaded pandemic in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She also assured the Minister that the world body will continue to support Nigeria and other developing countries to come out of the pandemic.
She said, “What happened last year was a huge challenge for the world when we were visited by COVID-19. It is not over yet, we are still trying to respond, to recover but also to touch on the issues with a view on how to achieve the SDGs in the decade that is Ieft, and the urgency and the scale with which we have to do that in every country in spite of the challenges of COVID-19.”
“As we look back, last year was a struggle, a tiny virus put a halt to most activities around the world and while it is health crisis, it ended up being a socio-economic crisis as well. Government and economies felt the impacts of COVID-19 as countries locked down.
“We survived and I think we did well as a globe, as a community. In many ways I have to say that Africa’s response to COVID-19, Nigeria’s response to COVID-19, has been one that has been commended around the world and the UN has been happy to support the efforts particularly here in Nigeria,” she added.
The UN Deputy Chief noted that 2021 is not likely to be different from the previous year but expressed hope that the recovery would be stronger and will be different because many of the things that the world experienced last year due to COVID-19, have actually brought opportunities.
She said the real task before the world this year is to ensure that many developing countries that have not had the opportunities to support the stimulus packages can do so to achieve the SDGs. She added that the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutierrez, convened a meeting on financing for development to tackle the challenges to make sure that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and domestic resources are utilized for better recovery.
Speaking on the $14 billion commitment made on the Great Green Wall initiative by some UN partners, Dr Mohammed said the opportunity of the Great Green Wall, it is not just the question of planting trees to stop the desert but creating an economic corridor that will reclaim the deserts but provide jobs, and enhance sustainable energy.
“The Great Green Wall has received a commitment of over $14 billion and I think what we have to do at the UN is to convene the partners to make sure that we can move from the words on paper to the projects.
“This year is a year about nature, there is conference of the parties for the climate and for biodiversity. There are meetings on food system summit, meetings on transportation and sustainability. So many issues around for a better and more sustainable world to achieve the SDGs and we look forward to working with Nigeria to make that happen,” she said.
In his remark earlier, Minister of Foreign Affiars Geoffrey Onyeama, said the involvement of Amina Mohamamed in the UN system is an opportunity for Nigeria to recalibrate its engagement with the UN and know how and what should be done to push its priorities forward.
