Buhari to receive president of UN General Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to receive Maria Espinosa, president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on Monday.

At a media briefing at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday, Monica Gravley, Espinosa’s spokesperson, announced that UNGA president will pay one-day official visit to Nigeria.

According to her, the visit is part of Espinosa’s eight-day official trip to Central and West Africa beginning on Friday.

The spokesperson did not disclose the agenda of the meeting with Buhari but promised to keep reporters updated on proceedings at the meeting.

Gravley said cabinet members would join Buhari in receiving her. She is also expected to meet with students of the University of Abuja.

Espinosa will speak on the role of multilateralism and how to respond to global challenges in a fast-changing world, according to the spokesperson.

Gravley said Espinosa would also meet UN officials in the country and take part in a discussion with women on their role in promoting multilateralism.

Multilateralism is an alliance of several nations, for example, the UN, pursuing a common goal.

It seeks to bind powerful nations, discourage unilateralism (one-sided action) and give small powers a voice and influence they could not otherwise exercise.

However, the system was facing several challenges, especially the dominance of world powers such as the United States in terms of military and economic might.

This led other powerful nations, including China and India, to question the relevance of the UN.

Buhari, who is currently in the UK, is expected to return to the country by Monday.