President Bola Tinubu on Saturday told G-20 leaders that Nigeria’s strategic importance as Africa’s largest economy and democracy made it capable of playing a major role within the bloc and contributing to shaping a more equitable world.
“Nigeria is poised, able and willing to be a major player in this family of the G-20 and in shaping a new world, without whom, the family will remain incomplete,” Tinubu said when he addressed world leaders at the 18th G-20 Leaders’ Summit holding in New Delhi, India.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday titled, ‘President Tinubu to G-20 leaders: As Africa’s largest market, economy and democracy, Nigeria is ready to play vital role in G-20.’
While acknowledging the vital role of the G-20 in shaping a rules-based world order that promotes shared prosperity and security, Tinubu argued that most of today’s pressing issues were “international in character and cannot be addressed without multilateral cooperation.”
He, therefore, added that stronger collaboration, cooperation, and partnerships among diverse regions were the pathways to a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for the world.
Tinubu said this explained why the role and contributions of the G-20 in shaping a fair new world order could not be over-emphasised.
“A world that lives as one family, but is divided by staggering income inequalities and uneven access to basic social goods by the vast majority of our people cannot result in a peaceful and secure world where shared prosperity is achieved,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
He said such rules and global governance structures of the world’s collective dreams must be collectively designed, owned and managed.
“This is consistent with the true spirit of One Family, mutual respect, and sustainable development,” he added.
While congratulating India for hosting the historic summit and for successfully landing on the moon under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he described the achievement as an inspiration to all developing countries of the Global South.
Tinubu welcomed the African Union’s inclusion in the G-20, saying it “opens opportunities for future membership of the group in a manner that reflects the relative balance of power and inclusiveness of humanity as one family.”
He also urged the Global North, advanced economies, and multilateral institutions to mobilise resources and direct efforts to where help was needed most in the disadvantaged Global South.
“By doing so, we will be building a society anchored on the strong values of tolerance and mutual respect, where diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation take precedence over competition, conflict, and divisions, which are based on inflexible ideologies and belief systems,” he added.
