President Buhari off to New York for UN general assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja today for New York, United States of America, to participate in the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76) which opened on September 14.

According to  a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the  theme for this year’s UNGA is; “Building Resilience Through Hope – To Recover from COVID-19, Rebuild Sustainably, Respond to the Needs of the Planet, Respect the Rights of People and Revitalize the United Nations.”

President Buhari will address the assembly during the general debates on Friday, September 24 when he will speak on the theme of the conference and other global issues.

He and members of his delegation will partake in other significant meetings such as The High Level Meeting to Commemorate The Twentieth Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action on the theme “Reparations, Racial Justice and Equality for People of African Descent.”

The delegation will also participate in Food Systems Summit; High Level Dialogue on Energy; and The High Level Plenary Meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

The president will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of other leaders of delegations and heads of International Development organisations.

He will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN); and Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor.

Also on the delegation are: National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire. Buhari is expected back in the country on September 26.