President Muhammadu Buhari would, during his participation in the 71st UN General Assembly, sign the Paris Treaty on Climate, Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, said at a news conference in New York.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Spokesman for the Nigerian Mission to the UN, Mr Akinremi Bolaji, and released in Abuja on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally-binding global climate deal at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December, 2015.

The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C. The agreement is due to enter into force in 2020.

The statement quoted the minister as saying that some of the world leaders, including President Barrack Obama of America and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, had already signed the Treaty.

Onyeama said that top on Nigerian UN agenda during the General Assembly was to engage African Union and other countries to work towards the reform of the United Nations.

He said that the leaders would also be engaged to be more democratic and responsive to the needs of the world.

“In addition to the wave of change, Nigeria will like to propose to the UN body to create an agency dedicated for the youth.”

The minister assured the international community that Nigeria would support a new UN Secretary-General that would be development and Africa-friendly as well as sympathetic to the course of Nigeria.

On investment, power and insecurity in Nigeria, he said that the Federal Government had established various security mechanisms to create attractive investment environment for would-be investors.

“With the fall in oil price, Nigeria is looking into diversification of its economy towards agriculture and solid minerals.

“It is expected that there will be a lot of investment opportunity for foreign investors during the US-Africa Business Forum, scheduled to take place next week in New York.

“Nigeria has been invited as one of the focal countries whose economies search light is beamed on.”

He also said that Nigeria would host a high level side event on Climate Change, to showcase its efforts in the Ogoni clean-up.

This event, according to him, will come up after the president has signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The minister also addressed issues of poverty, migration, human rights, terrorism and security and on challenges in retrieving Abacha’s loot and other Nigeria’s assets stashed abroad. (NAN) •Photo shows President Buhari.

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