Observing
that corruption, cross-border financial crimes, cyber crimes and human
trafficking are major challenges of the 21st century which the
international community must work collectively to overcome, Read
President Buhari's UN Speech.
Addressing world leaders at the 70th General Assembly of the United
Nations yesterday in New York, President Muhammadu Buhari has called on
the international community to urgently redouble its efforts to
strengthen mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of
corruption, urging his counterparts to do more to return stolen funds
and assets to their countries of origin.
The President reaffirmed his administration's determination to
frontally confront the twin evils of corruption and illicit financial
outflows, as he observes that corruption, cross-border financial crimes,
cyber crimes and human trafficking are major challenges of the 21st
century which the international community must work collectively to
overcome.
"By any consideration, corruption and cross-border financial
crimes are impediments to development, economic growth, and the
realization of the well-being of citizens across the globe.
In particular, I call upon the global community to urgently
redouble efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling
safe havens for proceeds of corruption and ensuring the return of stolen
funds and assets to their countries of origin," he said.
President Buhari also proposed the adoption of peace as a seventh
essential element of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted last
Friday by world leaders in New York.
"The Secretary-General has grouped the SDGs into what he calls
six 'essential elements' namely: Dignity, Prosperity, Justice,
Partnership, Planet and People. As a prerequisite to these and as we
look at history and remember the terrible events that gave rise to the
birth of the United Nations in 1945, I would like to propose a seventh:
PEACE."
He asserted that peace is close to the hearts of Nigerians, as the
nation is in the front line in the war on terror from Boko Haram’s
islamic sect.
"This is a war between progress and chaos; between democracy
and the rule of law. Boko Haram celebrates violence against the weak and
the innocent and deplorably, they hide behind their perverted
interpretation of Islam. Boko Haram is as far away from Islam as anyone
can think of."
The President assured the global community that his administration
was doing all within its powers to quickly overcome the challenge of
terrorism and insecurity.
"The new Nigerian Government which I have the honour to head,
moved with dispatch to put in a bold and robust strategy to defeat Boko
Haram. Nigeria and her neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger plus Benin
are working together to face this common threat within the regional
framework of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
We have established a multinational joint task force to
confront, degrade and defeat Boko Haram. We have driven them away from
many of their strongholds, killed or captured many of their operatives
or commanders and freed several hundreds of hostages."
The President reassured the international community that rescuing
the Chibok girls remains one of the major objectives of his
administration.
"We are working round the clock to ensure their safety and
eventual reunion with their families. The girls are constantly on our
minds and in our plans."
President Buhari also condemned the new and dangerous dimension which human trafficking has assumed in the world.
"We condemn in the strongest terms these people traffickers and
will support any measures to apprehend and bring them to justice."
Reminding the global assembly that peaceful co-existence and
self-determination were among the key principles that led to the
establishment of the United Nations, President Buhari called for the
urgent resolution of the question of self-determination for the people
of Palestine and Western Sahara.
"The international community has come to pin its hopes on
resolving the Palestinian issue through the two – states solution which
recognizes the legitimate right of each state to exist in peace and
security.
"The world has no more excuses or reasons to delay the
implementation of the long list of Security Council resolutions on this
question. Neither do we have the moral right to deny any people their
freedom or condemn them indefinitely to occupation and blockade," Buhari added.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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