The United Nations is committed to supporting Nigeria and moving the country from where it is, to where it ought to be, says Dr Reuben Bamidele, its National Programme Officer in Nigeria.
Bamidele said this on Monday in Lagos at the Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting on the formulation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDPF) 2023-2027.
The UN official said that the organisation would keep on supporting the aims and objectives of the Federal Government.
He noted that the essence of the consultative meeting was to make critical decisions from stakeholders on ways to support the Nigerian government.
“The United Nations is committed to supporting the Nigerian government and moving the country from where it is, to where it ought to be and also in ensuring that the peace and security of the country is strengthened.
“The cooperative framework is the collective response of the UN system in Nigeria.
“We achieve a lot in supporting the country and helped in the economy recovery, so we intend to keep the partnership and achieve better things going forward.
“Development is dynamic and continuous, so we would keep on building on what has been done,” Bamidele said.
He noted that the stakeholders meeting would take place in the six geopolitical zones in the country.
Earlier, Prof. Lanre Olaniran, a Consultant for the UN, revealed that development shortfalls and high unemployment rate were some of hindering development in the country.
“Low earnings for individuals, poor social indicators and disparities by incomes, are some the factors that need change for the development of the country.
“Environmental, ecosystem and natural resource management remains a challenge; given the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources which expose the population to climate change vulnerabilities.
“We must all join hands together in finding solutions to these problems, hence the reason for the meeting, so that we can get everyone’s input on these matters,” he said.
Olaniran, who works at University of Ibadan, noted that the synergy between the organisation and the government cannot be over-emphasised.
“It is important for the government and the UN to work together to avoid duplication of projects that would have been done by the government.
“It is important to have the cooperation frameworks, so that both parties can find out what has been done and what hasn’t and this would also prevent wastage of resources,” he said.
Other stakeholders at the meeting were officials of International Organisation of Migration (IOM), Lagos State Ministry of Economic, Planning and Budget, amongst others.
