In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed pressing global issues while emphasizing the need for international collaboration to solve them.

He praised the leadership of the UN and urged more inclusion, highlighting the need to reform the Security Council, especially to give Africa a permanent seat. Shettima pointed out the challenges facing the world, such as terrorism, climate change, poverty, and inequality, stressing the importance of multilateralism over nationalism to overcome these threats.

He noted the continued struggles with conflicts, the global debt burden, and trade barriers, advocating for increased support for democratic governance, economic development, and the eradication of protectionist policies. Shettima emphasized the urgent need for climate action, detailing Nigeria’s own efforts in climate adaptation and stressing the shared global responsibility in tackling climate change, particularly in helping vulnerable countries.

The Vice President also addressed digital inequality and the emerging risks associated with new technologies like cryptocurrency, calling for global regulations to mitigate the negative effects. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to peace, security, and sustainable development, and advocated for stronger international tax cooperation, debt relief for developing countries, and the return of stolen assets to their countries of origin.

Shettima concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), democracy, and human rights, and urged that the deliberations of the assembly lead to tangible solutions to global challenges for the sake of current and future generations.