By TIAMIYU PRUDENCE AROBANI

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, will address the 80th Session of the high-level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, September 24.

A revised provisional list of speakers obtained by the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the UN headquarters in New York showed that Tinubu would be speaking on the second day of the event.

The Nigerian leader is scheduled to deliver his address to other world leaders during the afternoon session around 8:30pm local time (around 2:30pm Nigerian time).

Tinubu would be the 17th world leader to speak on day two of the general debate, according to the provisional list.

He will be joining the gathering of 195 world leaders made up of 98 heads of state, five vice-presidents, 44 heads of government, four deputy prime ministers.

The others are 37 ministers, one crown prince and four chairs of delegation to speak at the general debate.

The President of Brazil, Luiz da Sliva would be the first world leader to present his address to the 78th session as it is tradition.

He will be followed by the U.S. President, Donald Trump, the traditional second speaker, being the host country.

Sources at the UN told NAN that the list was being updated and the Nigerian leader’s speaking slot might change if he would not be attending the general debate in person.

According to the UN traditions, Heads of State are speakers on the first and second day while vice-presidents speak from the third day.

Vice-president Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu in 2024 and spoke on the first day of the debate, maintaining Tinubu’s slot, which diplomats said was very unusual as per tradition.

The rare feat was credited to the goodwill that Nigeria enjoys from among the international community and the diplomatic maneuvering of the Nigerian diplomats at the UN.

Movses Abelian, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management said the current “revised list reflects changes in the level of representation (upgrades and downgrades) and reflects exchanges among Member States “.

“Please note that this list will continue to be updated until the start of the General Debate as changes are communicated by Member States,” Abelian added.

The theme of the general debate of the 80th session of the General Assembly is “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”.

NAN reports that the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) opened on Tuesday, September 9, with the inauguration of a new President Annalena Baerbock of Germany.

Baerbock called on Member States to unite in addressing global crises, from war and poverty to climate change, taking her oath on the original 1945 Charter and pledging to lead with courage and inclusiveness.

A former Foreign Minister of Germany, Baerbock becomes only the fifth woman in history to preside over the General Assembly, she accepted the Assembly’s ornate gavel from her predecessor, Philémon Yang of Cameroon.

The high level General Debate will be held from September 23 and to September 29.

The theme for the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly is “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”.

The high-level week will kick off on September 22 and run through September 30, during which world leaders will gather to attend the general debate and a series of conferences.

These include the High-level Meeting to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the UN, the SDG Moment, and the High-level Meeting on the 30th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.

The others are the Conference on Palestine and Two-State Solution, the Climate Summit, and the High-level Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, among others. (NAN)

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