Nigeria's VP Shettima Returns After UN General Assembly Duty

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived back in Nigeria on Monday, September 28, following his official assignment to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States. Shettima had initially departed Abuja on September 20 to lead the Nigerian delegation to the significant annual global event.

The Vice President's return was confirmed today by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), who shared a video update on the social media platform, X.

According to a statement released by Nkwocha, VP Shettima delivered President Tinubu’s national address during the General Debate at the UNGA. In this address, Nigeria reiterated its call for crucial reforms within the United Nations Security Council, advocating for permanent African representation, more equitable global financing mechanisms, enhanced support for climate action, and deeper multilateral collaboration.

During his time in New York, Shettima also participated in the Third High-Level Roundtable of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group. At this forum, President Tinubu, through his representative, urged African nations to transition from merely exporting raw mineral resources to focusing on processing, manufacturing, and adding value to these minerals.

Furthermore, the Vice President co-hosted a high-level event on education financing alongside Italy. Here, Senator Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria's unwavering commitment to education, emphasizing its role as a vital investment in productivity, human capital development, and national prosperity. He also expressed support for the Global Partnership for Education’s ambitious $5 billion financing campaign.

His engagements also included a meeting with Nigerians in the Diaspora, where he underscored the critical importance of their investments, expertise, and networks for the nation's development. Other key interactions involved discussions with the new leadership of the ECOWAS Commission and a meeting with the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed.

Across all these meetings, Senator Shettima actively promoted Nigeria's stance on various global issues, including development financing, regional integration, economic cooperation, technological advancements, as well as peace and security. He consistently reiterated President Tinubu's appeal for a more representative and equitable global order.