Nigeria pledges fair support in UN Secretary-General race, deepens ties with Netherlands

Abdullateef Fowewe

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that Nigeria will back a candidate for United Nations Secretary-General based on equity, justice, fairness, and Africa’s global aspirations.

In a meeting with Costa Rican candidate Rebeca Grynspan just before returning to Nigeria, Shettima said the country would support someone who promotes multilateralism and Africa’s inclusion in key decision-making bodies.

This was made known in a press release issued on Monday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.

“Thank you for seeking Nigeria’s perspective for your candidature of the United Nations Secretary-General. Nigeria and Costa Rica share a common historical background connecting both countries and their regions,” Shettima said.

He added that Nigeria would also weigh its cordial relations with Latin America and gender inclusion.

Grynspan, who sought Nigeria’s support, said she represents Global South interests and has “a soft spot for Africa.” She pledged to prioritise peace and advance Africa’s ambition for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

In a separate bilateral meeting in New York, Shettima and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands agreed to deepen collaboration on financial inclusion.

The Netherlands will share expertise in financial health to support Nigerian programmes targeting women and vulnerable groups.

Shettima linked the partnership to education, security, and poverty reduction, while defending the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as “inevitable” given the state of the economy in 2023.

Queen Máxima, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, praised Nigeria’s economic growth and offered support in areas such as insurance, credit guarantees, and data generation.