President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday called for the sustenance of international efforts in fighting terrorism across the world.
Buhari made the call when he delivered Nigeria’s National Statement at the ongoing 72th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, US.
He also urged the UN to continue to take primary leadership of the maintenance of international peace and security.
“We must collectively devise strategies and mobilise the required responses to stop fleeing ISIS fighters from mutating and infiltrating into the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, where there are insufficient resources and response capacity is weak.
“This will require strong UN cooperation with regional organisations, such as the African Union, in conflict prevention and management.
“The UN should continue to take primary leadership of the maintenance of international peace and security by providing, in a predictable and sustainable manner, adequate funding and other enablers to regional initiatives and peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council.’’
The Nigerian leader, who described the choice of theme for UNGA 72: “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet” as timely and appropriate, drew global attention to issues and crises which impact negatively on the people.
He noted that such crises affected mostly children and women, and urged concerted international solutions.
“The international community cannot remain silent and not condemn the horrendous suffering caused by what, from all indications is a state-backed programme of brutal depopulation of the Rohingya inhabited areas in Myanmar on the bases of ethnicity and religion.
“We fully endorse the call by the Secretary-General on the Government of Myanmar to order or halt to the ongoing ethnic cleansing and ensure the safe return of the displaced Rohingya to their homes in safety and dignity,” he said.
Buhari also stated Nigeria’s position on the current threat to global peace and security posed by North Korea’s nuclear programme
He said: “The most pressing threat to international peace and security today is the accelerated nuclear weapons development programme by North Korea. Since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, we have never come so close to the threat of nuclear war as we have now.
“All necessary pressure and diplomatic efforts must be brought to bear on North Korea to accept peaceful resolution of the crisis. As Hiroshima and Nagasaki painfully remind us, if we fail, the catastrophic and devastating human loss and environmental degradation cannot be imagined.
“Nigeria proposes a strong UN delegation to urgently engage the North Korean Leader. The delegation, led by the Security Council, should include members from all the regions.”
He added that, “the crisis in the Korean peninsula underscores the urgency for all member states, guided by the spirit of enthroning a safer and more peaceful world, to ratify without delay the Treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, which will be open for signature here tomorrow.’’
He also underscored Nigeria’s readiness to cooperate in addressing the growing transnational crimes such as forced labour, modern day slavery, human trafficking and cybercrime.
He cautioned that: “New conflicts should not make us lose focus on ongoing unresolved old conflicts. For example, several UN Security Council Resolutions from 1967 on the Middle East crisis remain unimplemented.
“Meanwhile, the suffering of the Palestinian people and the blockade of Gaza continue.’