The United Nations General Assembly started meetings from the 19th September, 2017 and African leaders came well armed with intentions to make their individual and corporate interests known.
Among these are three African presidents who are making their very first appearance at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the body’s headquarters in New York, the United States.
They are the leaders of Ghana, The Gambia and Somalia and the chief reasons that cut across these being the eir recent electoral victories against oppositions last year and early this year.
Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was at one time a Foreign Minister and may not be an entire stranger to the UNGA but the 72nd Assembly will be his first as president of the republic.
He defeated John Dramani Mahama at the December 7 elections last year to become president. It was his third straight attempt at the seat having lost twice in 2008 and 2012.
President Adama Barrow of Gambia will be entirely new. He was not known to have been in active politics at the international level to gain any exposure whatsoever. He also defeated long serving Yahya Jammeh in presidential polls held on December 1, 2016.
The third is Somalia’s Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. Prior reports, however, indicate that he will send his Prime Minsiter, Hassan Ali Khaire, to represent him. The PM had in January represented him an African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
It follows in a trend where Somali presidents in the last two years have missed the UNGA. Last year then president sent then Foreign Minister, Abdisalam Omer. In 2015, the then PM Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke delivered Somalia’s address.
It is also a first time at UNGA for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who took over last year from Ban Ki-Moon. Ki-moon stepped down after serving two five-year terms.
The theme for this year’s session is: “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for all on a Sustainable Planet” and will seem to acknowledge the UN’s drive towards ensuring a peaceful and environmentally sustained planet for human habitation in the face of natural and man made disasters not to mention the escalating insurgence of terrorism.
African leaders who have come to the Assembly are exploiting the opportunity of the meeting to pursue interests which may attract bilateral co-operation, structured support, and programme/project collaborations.
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, was billed as the 8th speaker a few days ago and had the opportunity to state the position of his government and Nigeria moreso as his period of medical incarceration had led to all sorts of political speculation threatening the country’s domestic peace.
The Ivorian leader, Alassane Ouattara, was seen with the Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote of Nigeria. The African business mogul is known to have 5-star business interests on the African frontier and his presence should seem that he is yet keen to extend his business association. If Ivory Coast will be his next port of call perhaps President Ouattara would know.
The meeting of Ugandan President Museveni and South Sudan Vice-President, Taban Deng Gai to discuss issues of mutual interest would no doubt include security issues and aid support. not only has South Sudan been embroiled in internecine wars but these have also taken their toll of food supplies, medical support and education. The peace of South Sudan will definitely impact upon bilateral relationship with Uganda, so why not discuss it?
Ghana’s Akufo-Addo seized the opportunity to further demonstrate importance of the UN theme as he gave a lecture at the Colombia university – at the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, on Monday, September 18.
The Burkinabe leader, Roch Marc Kabore, wore the advocacy garb as he campaigned and held meetings with interest groups to fan the embers of intolerance against on sexual abuse.
Presidents Mutharika of Malawi and Edgar Lungu of Zambia already found a common cause as they joined anti-child marriage campaigners at one of the events.
But not all African heads of government were able to attend. Aside from Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe who is representing Burundi for the second year in a row, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta alongside his vice are caught up in a possible electioneering rerun in Nairobi. However, Foreign Affairs chief Amina Mohammed seems in charge of Kenya’s delegation in New York.
In what appears to be a wink, the United States President, Donald Trump, has told African leaders that the continent has huge business potential.
He added that most of his friends came to Africa to get rich. “Africa has tremendous business potential, I have so many friends going to your countries trying to get rich. I congratulate you.
“They are spending a lot of money, but it does, it has tremendous business potential and representing huge amounts of different markets and for American firms it has really become a place that they have to go, that they want to go.”
“They are spending a lot of money, but it does, it has tremendous business potential and representing huge amounts of different markets and for American firms it has really become a place that they have to go, that they want to go.”
Trump met with a number of African leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Other high points of the discussion were on the topic of security with Trump reaffirming Washington’s resolve to help fight terrorism across the continent.
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