The United Nations (UN) has reiterated its dedication to supporting Nigeria in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasising the nation’s critical role in global development efforts.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, made the announcement during a press conference in Abuja commemorating the 79th anniversary of UN Day.
He emphasised that Nigeria holds a pivotal role in the UN’s mission, asserting that global SDG targets are unlikely to be met without Nigeria’s success.
“We cannot achieve the SDGs if Nigeria doesn’t make it,” Fall stated.
With less than five years remaining until the 2030 Agenda deadline, Fall noted the urgency of collaborative efforts, particularly in light of the recent Summit of the Future and its outcome, the Pact for the Future.
“The pact highlights five strategic priorities: SDG financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology and innovation, youth and future generations, and global governance. The Nigeria we want is reflected in the pact,” he said.
He stressed that the UN’s primary focus is to assist Nigeria across these five areas through partnerships with government entities, development agencies, and civil society.
The UN is also advancing longer-term development projects aimed at addressing challenges in northern Nigeria.
“UN is not about we delivering on behalf of people, it’s about we support people, we bring in global expertise, we bring in the mandate we have, we bring in our neutrality to help the government to drive their own process of development. We will continue in the North East while engaging in the North West,” Fall explained.
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He added that in the North East and North West, their approach combines immediate humanitarian assistance with long-term development solutions to address underlying issues.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) Country Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, spoke about the vital role of science, technology, and digital innovation in Nigeria’s development.
“We have for the very first time established what we are calling university ports, 10 of them by the end of this year, where when you go into a university, you’ll have a space to create, you’ll have a space to prototype, you’ll have a space that you can back some ideas, startups, and maybe more,” Attafuah stated.
She said the UNDP hopes to foster new ideas and possibly create unicorn companies that drive the national economy forward.
Attafuah also addressed climate change as one of the most critical challenges, noting that UNDP is committed to helping Nigeria implement its climate goals.
“We are supporting the country’s nationally determined contributions, where Nigeria is putting forward an ambitious climate change plan to be able to reduce not only emissions, but link it to the development of this country,” she said.
This involves training young Nigerians in renewable energy fields, such as solar technology, to advance the country’s energy transition.
Meanwhile, according to Vanessa Phala, ILO Country Director for Nigeria and other West African countries, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is targeting social protection for agricultural workers.
“As the organisation that is charged basically with promoting social justice, we have been doing quite a lot of work since 1960, when Nigeria joined the ILO,” Phala said.
She stated that the ILO is working on addressing issues of child labour and supporting innovative interventions, especially in the area of social protection. They mentioned that they were collaborating with farmers in the agricultural sector, particularly cocoa farmers, to help them take advantage of social protection measures that had been implemented, specifically in accessing national health insurance.
The event concluded with commendation for the media’s essential role in promoting development initiatives and fostering continued collaboration as Nigeria advances toward achieving the SDGs by 2030.
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