UN Select Nigeria To Represent Africa At Global Forum

Posted by African Examiner News Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Millennium Development Goals, OSSAP-MDGs has been invited to
make a National Voluntary Presentation on behalf of Africa at the
High Level during the Annual Ministerial Review, (AMR) of
Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
coming up between the 2nd and 29th of July, 2013 in Switzerland.
Mrs. Kene Offie, Deputy Director, OSSAP MDGs revealed this in a
statement issued by her office, saying Nigeria will make presentation
of behalf of Africa on the theme of this year AMR which is “Science,
Technology and Innovation and the potential of culture for promoting
sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Development
Goals”.

As part of the requirements, the OSSAP-MDGS will between 4 to 5
April hold a national workshop at the Chida International Hotel in
Abuja for the preparation of a national report that will be presented by
the Nigerian Country team led by Dr. Precious Gbeneol, Senior
Special Assistant to the President on MDGs as Nigeria’s National
Voluntary Presentation, NVP.

According to Offie, critical inputs from stakeholders from cross-cutting
sectors locally and from the relevant United Nations entities will form
the core contents of the NVP to be delivered at the ECOSOC forum.

The workshop, which is being organized in collaboration with the
Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Culture and
Tourism will have a keynote address delivered by the Minister of
National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman. It will also have in
attendance representatives from the 36 states and FCT,
stakeholders in the related sectors and members of the public to
ensure inclusive deliberations.

Nigeria, the only country invited to the forum from Africa has in line
with the theme of the international event, already indicated that it will
highlight its use of science and technology, especially, the Nigerian
MDGs Information System it developed in conjunction with the Earth
Institute of Columbia University and United Nations Country Team as
a guide for the investment of the annual USD1bn negotiated as Debt
Relief from the Paris Club for pro-poor activities in the report it will
present to the forum.

Nigeria, according to Mrs. Offie, will use the occasion to highlight its
deployment of innovative science and technology tools in the conduct
of a nation-wide Baseline Facility Inventory and Needs Assessment
throughout all the 774 Local Government Areas of the Country to
accurately determine the level of investments needed to accelerate
achievements of MDGs at different levels of government.
“While emphasis will be placed on the accomplishments and
challenges encountered in the implementation of National
Development Strategies and Policies as stated in the guidelines for
the preparation of the National Report, we intend to highlight the
utility of the Nigerian MDGs Information System in both the Report
and the National Voluntary Presentation as a crucial tool that has had
impact on the implementation of IADGs), including the MDGs in
Nigeria,” Dr. Precious Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Millennium Development Goals was quoted as saying in
the statement.

NVP was initiated by ECOSOC in 2007 as a mechanism for the
international community to assess and advance progress towards the
Internationally Agreed Development Goals (IADGs), including the
MDGs, at the national level. About 44 developed and developing
countries have shared their best practices and lessons and have
served as an important tool for knowledge and experience sharing
among countries through the platform.