UN General Assembly
2023

On behalf of the people of Nigeria. I congratulate Mr. Dennis Francis on his well- deserved election as President of the General Assembly at this session. We commend his predecessor. Mr. Csaba Korosi. for his able stewardship of the Assembly. We also commend Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his work seeking to forge solutions to humankind’s common challenges. This is my first address before the General Assembly. Permit me to say a few words on behalf of Nigeria, my country, and on behalf of Africa, my continent, regarding this year’s theme. Many proclamations have been made, yet our troubles remain close at hand. Failures in good governance have hindered Africa, but broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress. Given that long history, if this year’s theme is to mean anything at all. it must mean something special and particular to Africa.