G20 Summit: Tinubu Advocates for Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

At the G20 Summit, President Bola Tinubu endorses a global alliance to combat hunger and poverty, emphasizing collaborative efforts for sustainable development. 

President Bola Tinubu has praised the establishment of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

Tinubu characterized the alliance as crucial in the worldwide battle against hunger and poverty.

He delivered this statement on Monday during the opening session of the 19th G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He praised the initiative, calling it a crucial step in tackling one of the world’s most significant challenges.

This daring and forward-thinking move highlights Brazil’s leadership in tackling one of the most pressing and ongoing challenges confronting our world today.

The formation of this Alliance represents a major milestone in our global mission to eliminate hunger and poverty, while also conveying a strong message of solidarity to vulnerable communities worldwide.

“The initiative promotes collaboration among governments, international organizations, and civil society to provide a comprehensive strategy that addresses both immediate needs and the underlying structural causes of hunger and poverty,” he stated.

Eighteen months after his inauguration, President Tinubu drew a parallel between the global initiative and one of the eight priority areas he had identified. He emphasized Nigeria’s enthusiasm for embracing international best practices to propel its economic development forward.

President Tinubu stated that Nigeria’s decision to endorse the declaration of commitment to join the Global Alliance marks a crucial step in its efforts to combat hunger and poverty. This move aims to leverage international cooperation and resources to strengthen domestic strategies.

He also stated that by backing the initiative, Nigeria shows a strong dedication to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 1, which concentrates on eliminating poverty, and SDG 2, which seeks to attain zero hunger.

President Tinubu stated, “These goals are central to Nigeria’s development agenda, and the Alliance provides a platform to expedite progress toward them.”

President Tinubu stated, “Through collaboration with international partners, Nigeria seeks to utilize best practices, innovative solutions, and financial support to strengthen its initiatives against poverty and hunger. This endorsement highlights Nigeria’s position as a significant contributor in global endeavors towards sustainable development and improving the quality of life for all citizens.”

President Tinubu stressed the critical urgency for reforming the United Nations Security Council to maintain its relevance in global interventions.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s preparedness and ability to represent Africa in this prestigious group.

He urged the G20 to support this noble ideal, following their admission of the African Union as a member.

Tinubu suggested that the Security Council should broaden both its permanent and non-permanent member categories to better represent global diversity and plurality, emphasizing that Africa should be given priority in this expansion.

The Security Council ought to broaden its permanent and non-permanent member categories to more accurately represent the world’s diversity and plurality.

Africa should be given priority in this process, with two permanent seats allocated to it, granting equal rights and responsibilities. Nigeria is prepared and eager to serve as a representative of Africa in this role.

In a statement delivered on his behalf by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, President Tinubu observed that the G20 has evolved into a forward-thinking international institution committed to reform-oriented multilateralism.

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He specifically praised the G20’s decision to grant permanent membership to the African Union and its ongoing commitment to inviting guest countries into the group.

He stated that this wide-ranging participation enables more inclusive and effective discussions to tackle shared global challenges.

Several permanent Council members have demonstrated encouraging support for this initiative, marking a positive development. We welcome this shift in attitude and urge an expedited approach to these long overdue changes.

The world is confronted with numerous challenges, such as extreme poverty, inequality, climate change, terrorism, and global conflicts.

These issues are worsened by enduring inequities in the global governance system, resulting in unsustainable sovereign debt, skewed access to capital markets, trade imbalances, unfair representation, and impediments to development in the Global South.

We are responsible for discovering practical solutions to address these imbalances.

Global taxation is a particularly pressing issue that profoundly affects developing countries.

The existing international tax system, primarily influenced by the interests of wealthier nations, frequently places developing countries at a disadvantage, particularly when it comes to taxing digital economies.

“This systemic imbalance has resulted in considerable revenue losses, hindering our progress toward sustainable development and economic self-reliance,” stated the Nigerian leader.

President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria, along with other member states of the African Group, led a groundbreaking initiative at the United Nations by advocating for a framework Convention on Tax aimed at creating a fairer and more inclusive global tax system.

He called on the G20 to listen to countries, particularly those in the global South, and consider reforming the international financial structure.

The President emphasized the need to revitalize multilateral institutions to close the divide between the Global North and South, asserting that this is a crucial path forward. He called on the G20 to take up this cause and affirmed Nigeria’s dedication to being part of this future through active involvement in the G20 and strong support for achieving SDG 2030 goals.