Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has received the proposed $14 billion budget of the United Nations (UN) from Nigeria’s Permanent Representative, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.
The event took place on Sunday at the official residence of the president at the State House, Abuja.
Ibrahim, who is Chairman of UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters, presented the seven-volume document to the president after the UN Secretary-General submitted it to the committee last week.
The former senator described the presentation as historic, saying it was the first time in 66 years that Nigeria would chair the committee responsible for the UN’s budget and administration.
His words: “This is the first time in 66 years that Nigeria will chair the Budget and Administrative Committee. It is the first time, and we do not know when it will happen again in history.
“So President Bola Tinubu is making history by being able to receive this budget. He is the first Nigerian president in 66 years to receive the UN budget from the United Nations.”
According to Ibrahim, the proposed regular budget stands at about $3.4 billion, while the peacekeeping budget is about $8.5 billion and the combined figure stands at about $14 billion, approximately N36 trillion to N40 trillion.
“It is not a small matter for a country to receive the entire UN budget. So I am happy that the president has received the seven volumes of the proposed budget.”
The envoy said the document remained a proposal and would still undergo detailed negotiations and approval by member-states before implementation.
“This is a proposed budget. It is the proposal submitted to member countries. Thereafter, the budget is discussed in detail, the figures are adjusted, and the final budget is approved before spending commences,” he explained.
Ibrahim was not forthcoming on Nigeria’s expected benefits from the budget, saying negotiations with his colleagues were still ongoing.
“As for Nigeria, I do not want to discuss what Nigeria will get from the budget. That would be going too far, because my colleagues and I are still discussing it.”
The envoy, however, pointed to the scale of UN spending, noting that the organisation was currently building a $260 million conference centre in Kenya.
Accirding to him, “A lot is happening. As of today, the United Nations is building a $260 million conference centre in Kenya. You can see what that means.”