MAKING the theme of his message one of peaceful resolution to international disputes for the second year in a row, President Goodluck E. Jonathan departs for New York, United States, on Sunday, to attend the 67th United Nations General Assembly meeting.
“For too long, the international community has focused too little attention on mediation and preventive diplomacy and far too much effort and resources on military aspects of peace and security,” Mr. Jonathan said last year, adding that “measures to address the root cause of conflict, including dialogue and mediation, can be far more effective as means to achieving sustainable peace and stability.”
“As I see it, our goal should always be to present the peaceful alternative as a less costly and effective way of achieving political and social objectives. By focusing on mediation as a tool for conflict prevention, we are able to address the real triggers of conflict, without which we cannot achieve sustainable solutions,” the president stated.
The Nigerian delegation will include, besides the president, Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Philip Aduda, Honourable Isa Ashiru Mohammed, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Minister of Trade and Investment.
On the sidelines of the main event at the United Nations, President Jonathan is also scheduled to meet with other world leaders including the Presidents of China, France, South Korea, Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland and Switzerland in New York.
Other engagements of the president includes a meeting on the rule of law at the United Nations headquarters. He will also meet with the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, with whom he currently serves as co-Chairperson of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children in presenting its report to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon.
The president will also devote time to the Nigerian economy in his meeting with the chairman and top executives of the global oil giant, Exxon-Mobil, and will attend a reception hosted by President Barack Obama of the United States and the Secretary-General’s High-Level event on the eradication of Polio.