Nigeria will support a candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General who is committed to advancing Africa’s interests and aspirations in global affairs, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said.
Shettima made the remarks in New York while meeting Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan, who is seeking the position of UN Secretary-General.
The Vice President said Nigeria’s support would be guided by principles including equity, justice and fairness, as well as the candidate’s position on Africa’s representation in key global institutions.
According to Shettima, Nigeria wants a UN Secretary-General who will support greater African participation in major decision-making bodies and strengthen multilateral cooperation.
He said he would recommend Grynspan’s candidature for consideration, citing Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with Latin America and the importance of gender inclusion among the factors informing his position.
“Thank you for seeking Nigeria’s perspective for your candidature for the United Nations Secretary-General,” Shettima said.
He noted the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Costa Rica, as well as Nigeria’s broader ties with Latin American countries.
“We also have a cordial relationship with Latin America, and we do not wish to jeopardise it,” he added.
Shettima also highlighted conflict prevention, multilateralism and global peace as areas of common interest between Nigeria and Costa Rica.
He called for reforms to the global governance system, arguing that the international architecture established after the Second World War has not sufficiently reflected Africa’s growing population and role in global affairs.
The Vice President noted that Africa now has a population of more than 1.3 billion people but remains underrepresented in key global decision-making structures.
Grynspan had earlier appealed to Nigeria to support her bid for the UN’s top diplomatic position.
The Costa Rican candidate said she wanted to lead efforts to implement reforms being demanded by countries, particularly those in the Global South.
“Coming from the Global South, I represent the interest and demands of the region. I also have a soft spot for Africa. I know the continent and its aspirations,” Grynspan said.
She pledged to place peace at the centre of her proposed agenda and said Africa’s longstanding demand for permanent representation on the UN Security Council would receive urgent attention under her leadership.
In a separate engagement in New York, Shettima also met with Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, with both sides agreeing to strengthen cooperation on financial inclusion in Nigeria.
Under the proposed collaboration, the Netherlands would provide expertise and experience in financial health to support programmes aimed at expanding access to financial services across different segments of Nigerian society.
Shettima welcomed the offer of support, particularly initiatives targeting women and vulnerable groups.
He said financial inclusion was closely connected to areas such as education, security and poverty reduction.
The Vice President highlighted existing government programmes, including conditional cash transfers and agricultural initiatives, as part of efforts to expand financial access.
He also said Nigeria’s fintech sector has an important role to play in bringing more people into the formal financial system.
Shettima defended the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, saying the measures were necessary given the economic conditions inherited by the government in 2023.
Queen Máxima, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, acknowledged Nigeria’s economic growth and the government’s efforts to expand financial inclusion.
She pledged continued support from the Netherlands through the sharing of expertise in areas including insurance, credit guarantees and data generation.
She said the financial health agenda was aimed at helping citizens become more financially resilient, protect their investments and gain greater access to insurance and other financial services.
Source: NAN.
