Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum will today, Friday, join a panel of discussion on implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the midst of conflict, during a high-level side event in the ongoing 74th United Nations General Assembly, taking place in New York, United States of America.
Special Adviser on Public Relations and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, said in a statement, that Governor Zulum, who arrived United States on Thursday, will also call for on action against the impacts of climate change in reference to how loss of livelihoods caused by receding Lake Chad significantly contributes to the security challenges facing Borno State and parts of the northeast.
Governor Zulum, the spokesman explained, was invited by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) led by its chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The NGF is joining permanent missions of Nigeria and Spain to the United Nations, which are co-hosting the high level side event with the theme, “The Role of Subnational Governments in Achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement”.
The side event is also supported by the UN Global impact and Local 2030, a multi-stakeholder platform that supports delivery of SDGs to communities of UN member countries.
Zulum will be joining two Governors: Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto who is the NGF’s vice chairman, Governor of Ebonyi state and Africa’s regional director of the UN Development Programme in the first panel of the side event, the statement said.
Gusau, while quoting media reports linked to the NGF, noted that Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande who is President of the 74th UN General Assembly as well as the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed are expected to speak during the side event from 3:00 pm at Conference Room 1 of the UN headquarters.
Also to speak at the event are Professor Jeffrey Sachs, an economist from Columbia University, Juan Pablo De LaigLasia, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Kerry Adler, President and CEO of Skypower Global which is a ground-breaking solar power company that prides itself with building stronger economies and a cleaner environment by adding renewables to the energy mix.
Malam Isa Gusau concluded that Governor Zulum intends to explore opportunities of attracting interventions to Borno State in order to maximize the benefits of his participation at the UN General Assembly.