Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Ondo South Senatorial District in Nigeria’s National Assembly, has rejected the United Nations’ proposal for a global tax to finance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), calling it inappropriate and unacceptable.
Speaking at the interparliamentary opening session in New York, Ibrahim argued that the international system is anarchic and lacks the necessary authority to enforce compliance. He emphasised the absence of a comprehensive global framework to regulate such a taxation system.
He said global taxes will further exacerbate inequality within the geocentric system and could also increase poverty, undermining the United Nations’ efforts to eradicate poverty by 2030.
As an alternative, Senator Ibrahim suggested that environmental polluters compensate Africa to alleviate the debt burden.
“It is time for African legislators to act decisively and compel the rest of the world to pay compensation for climate impacts so that we can finance our SDGs.”
Senator Ibrahim said that SDGs struggle to achieve the goal of poverty eradication because many who are invested in meaningful outcomes are being excluded.
“There is a lack of transparency, a deficit of trust, a significant failure of multilateralism, and insufficient support from non-state actors for the SDGs,” he said.
Senator Ibrahim informed the United Nations that the year 2030 is approaching rapidly, emphasising a major shortfall in achieving the primary goal of poverty eradication.
He advises that a review is becoming increasingly necessary.
Senator Ibrahim openly praised President Bola Tinubu for upholding his commitment to the SDGs in his budget proposal at the United Nations Interparliamentary.
He urged the United Nations to reflect inward, as time is critical for the success of the SDGs.
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