The United Nations Office in Niger celebrated the 79th anniversary of United Nations Day on Wednesday, November 27, with a cocktail reception held at its headquarters.
The United Nations Office in Niger celebrated the 79th anniversary of United Nations Day on Wednesday, November 27, with a reception held at its headquarters. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, the Minister of Public Health, members of the diplomatic corps, international organizations, UN country team members, Niamey coordination staff, and other notable figures.
United Nations Day is an important moment for all those dedicated to peace, solidarity, and cooperation.
Minister Bakary Yaou Sangaré greeted the excellent cooperation between Niger and the United Nations and wished a happy year to all coordination staff.
In her speech on this occasion, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Niger, Ms. Mama Keita, first welcomed the presence of the guests and said, “This day is generally celebrated every year on October 24, but due to unforeseen significant events, we were unable to gather on October 24, so today we are closing that gap.”
As stated in the message released by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres for this occasion, the United Nations is the place where countries gather to find solutions to reduce tensions, establish peace, accelerate sustainable development, eradicate poverty and hunger, and respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, including those affected by conflicts, violence, economic hardship, and climate disasters.
For the UN diplomat, “the United Nations is also the place where countries discuss and negotiate solutions to emerging challenges or opportunities such as climate change, digital technology, artificial intelligence, etc.”
Thus, the Resident Coordinator emphasized, “Today, in the context of Niger, this day takes on special significance marked by a political renewal characterized by the government’s determination to create a strong Niger with win-win partnerships to strengthen peace, security, and the well-being of all its sons and daughters.”
It also provided an opportunity to reaffirm the United Nations system’s commitment to supporting the government’s efforts to achieve its national development priorities.
For Ms. Mama, “this day also symbolizes our desire to strengthen the links between national and international actors in addressing global and national challenges.”
The UN diplomat also noted that “the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are at the center of collective actions.”
“Globally, so far, only 17% of the SDG targets have been achieved, and the 2030 deadline is fast approaching,” she said.
According to Ms. Mama Keita, “In Niger, as elsewhere in the world, there is much work to be done, especially in a context where the country is facing particular challenges due to fragile security conditions and the devastating effects of climate change.”
However, she added, “There is tremendous potential and opportunities to win the fight against poverty eradication, universal access to essential services such as water, health, education, energy, and the creation of decent jobs.”
The commemoration of United Nations Day is an opportunity to salute Niger and its citizens’ efforts to contribute to making the world a better place alongside the international community.
“Niger is indeed a welcoming country for hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants, offering hope to many families,” said Ms. Mama Keita, before taking the opportunity to pay tribute to all UN staff for their hard work every day.
“It is also important to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to all our partners here. Your actions allow us to make progress in implementing our development, peace, and stability initiatives and programs,” she added.
“Together, let us reaffirm our shared determination to live according to the ideals of the United Nations Charter; let us reaffirm our commitment to supporting the building of a better Niger for every Nigerien,” she invited the participants to raise a toast to friendship and solidarity and wished long life to the organization.
It should also be noted that on this occasion, the Resident Coordinator and the hosts inaugurated a new United Nations office building.
