Buhari to address UN General Assembly in September as international community keeps embracing Nigeria

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will address the 73rd session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on Tuesday September 25 as part of the ongoing moves by the international community to elevate Nigeria among the league of nations.

Following President Muhammadu Buhari's election in 2015, Nigeria has enjoyed a lot of goodwill from the international community, with the country invited to address numerous global forums. Nigeria was considered to have come of age after President Buhari defeated an incumbent in Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who then left office gracefully and the new government's tough stance on corruption has also made it very popular internationally.

As this process continues, President Buhari has been invited to deliver Nigeria’s national statement on the first day of the general debate of the General Assembly. He has been placed as the number 20 spokesman on the list of the speakers out of the 193 world leaders that would address the assembly.

At the gathering, the president of Brazil would be the first world leader to present his address followed by the US president Donald Trump, who is the traditional second speaker, being the host. During the 2017 session of the General Debate of the Assembly, President Buhari was the eighth speaker out of the 193 world leaders who spoke.

His address made it one of any Nigerian leader’s earliest addresses at the annual general debate of the inter-governmental organisation. The 2018 General Assembly would be President Buhari’s fourth outing at the annual general debate of the UN since becoming president in 2015.