Buhari Travels to New York to Attend 76th UN General Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Abuja for New York, the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina disclosed this on Sunday, adding that his principal will join other world leaders for the 76th session of the UNGA which opened on September 14.

According to the presidential spokesman, President Buhari will address the assembly during the general debates on Friday, September 24.

The President is expected to speak on this year’s theme which 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” and other global issues.

Buhari and members of the 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, themed ‘Reparations, Racial Justice, and Equality for People of African Descent’.

“The delegation will also participate in the 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,” Adesina said.

President Buhari will hold bilateral meetings with a number of other leaders of delegations and heads of international development organisations while in the U.S.

He is expected back in the country on Sunday, September 26.

He was accompanied to New York by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; and Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor.

Also on the President’s delegation are the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Abubakar; Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.