Nigeria's President Buhari tells UN: ‘New conflicts shouldn’t make us lose sight of old ones’

Addressing the UN General Assembly a short while ago, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari spoke of crises beyond the continent as well as those affecting Africa.

He chided the international body for failing to resolve long-running conflicts, saying:

“Several UN security council resolutions from 1967 on the Middle East crisis remain unimplemented.

“Meanwhile the suffering of the Palestinian people and the blockade of Gaza continues.”

President Buhari also expressed concern over the crisis in Yemen, North Korea’s weapons programme, and said the UN must “halt the ongoing ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh.

Closer to home, he said Nigeria’s state institutions “are being strengthened to promote accountability and combat corruption and asset recovery”.

In matters of security, Mr Buhari praised the international community for its “exemplary show of solidarity” to countries in the Sahel “to contain the threat posed by al-Quaeda and Boko Haram”.

President Buhari, who spoke haltingly and stood up to deliver his speech, called for continued "material support and assistance" from the international community.

Africa’s “faith in democracy remains firm and unshaken,” he added.

Applause came when he said “our regional organisation ECOWAS came together to uphold democratic principles in The Gambia,” referring to the body’s key role in the eventual transmission of power from long-time leader Yahya Jammeh to President Adama Barrow last year.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has led Liberia since 2005

Liberia’s outgoing President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also spoke at the conference in a farewell address, which she used to praise the “example of what could be done [by the UN]” and spoke about how her example as the first female African president has inspired other women to lead.