Olusegun Obasanjo
Body backs home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s problems
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been appointed into United Nations (UN) high-level advisory board.
Also appointed into the board are President Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Radhika Coomaraswamy (Sri Lanka), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Jean-Marie Guéhenno (France), former President of Finland, Tarja Halonen (Finland), David Harland (New Zealand), Noeleen Heyzer (Singapore) and Nasser Judeh (Jordan), among others.
The new role will see Obasanjo providing advice on mediation initiatives with 17 other current and former global leaders.
The board is expected to allow the UN work more effectively with regional organisations, non-governmental groups and others involved in mediation around the world.
Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Gutierrez, had in September announced the establishment of the board to provide him with advice on mediation initiatives and back specific mediation efforts around the world.
In another development, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and Sahel, Muhammad Ibn Chambas, has said that the UN will support home-grown solutions that will lead to the strengthening of peace and stability in Nigeria.
Chambas, who spoke when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said the UN system in Nigeria would continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure peace and sustainable development in the country.
A statement signed by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, quoted Chambas as saying that the global body firmly believed in the unity of Nigeria, and would continue to support all its organs for rapid socio-economic development.
In his remarks, Tambuwal sought support from leading international organisations for an end to proliferation of small arms not just in Nigeria, but also in all conflict-prone areas of the world.
