G77+China Summit 2023: International Cooperation is Path to Resolving Global Challenges, Says VP Shettima

* Speaks to the leaders of the global south

*Honors the accomplishments of Nigerian youths in the fields of science and technology around the world

According to the Vice President and Senator Kashim Shettima, “We must always remember that cooperation is our compass and the most feasible road towards maximizing the opportunities and tackling the issues that are in front of us.”

Friday, Vice President Shettima made the revelation while speaking to other world leaders at the ongoing G77+China Leaders’ Summit at the Palace Convention in Havana, Cuba.

The Vice President emphasized the need to be focused on leveraging cooperation or partnership in order to find realistic solutions to global challenges while speaking before an assembly of Heads of State and Government, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and delegates from over one hundred countries from the global South.

“We must not permit geopolitical difficulties in any corner of the world to prevent us from establishing a collaborative and mutually advantageous path forward, which he suggested is a blueprint of shared prosperity and progress.

The Vice President has stated that Nigeria is dedicated to following the road of partnership with member states of the G77 and China in order to address global issues.

To quote what he had to say about it, “let me to underline Nigeria’s commitment to cooperating with our fellow member nations of the G77 and China.”

“We shall champion programs that harness the potential of science, technology, and innovation to tackle economic issues, particularly within the global south,” he pledged. “We shall champion initiatives that harness the potential of science, technology, and innovation to confront economic challenges.”

The Vice President of the United States, while speaking on the topic of “Current Development Challenges: The Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation,” emphasized the important part that science, technology, and innovation have always played in the process of resolving problems that have arisen in the past and continue to arise in the present.

Vice President Shettima, while delivering a lecture with the subject “From Pandemic to Paradigm Shift: Nigeria’s Road to Reinvention,” stated that “throughout history, science and technology have altered the course of nations.” The stages of the Industrial Revolution, from the first to the fourth, and from mechanization to automation, are directly responsible for the economic success of those countries.

Continuing, he made the observation that “it is vital to recognise that the developing world found itself at a disadvantage in the first phases of these transitions,” stating that they struggled to compete fairly as these revolutions swept over the globe.

The Vice President informed his listeners that Nigeria is doing its part to leverage science, technology, and innovation in order to find solutions to problems like as Covid-19 and the climate issue.

In his explanation, he stated that Nigeria “understands that the key to advancing innovation in science and technology resides in nurturing a vibrant knowledge economy and supporting the free interchange of ideas.” He went on to say that Nigeria “understands that this is the key to advancing innovation in science and technology.”

According to the Vice President, this is the reason why “across the globe, one would be hard-pressed to identify a premier institution, even within the most developed nations, where a Nigerian, trained at home, is not contributing significantly, whether as a technological innovator or a medical specialist, in the noble pursuit of improving the human condition.”

“the COVID-19 epidemic, albeit a tragic chapter, acted as a spur for our creative minds in Nigeria to renew their interests in the realms of science and technology,” the Vice President remarked in reference to the efforts of the Federal Government to combat Covid-19 in Nigeria using science and technology.

Adding that “Our scientists have successfully positioned our nation as a prominent global hub for mRNA vaccine production, a milestone that is now in progress.”

While praising the contributions of Nigeria’s youth to the country’s efforts to advance in the fields of science, technology, and innovation, Vice President Shettima highlighted that “Nigeria’s demographic advantage is not confined to the absence of an elderly population.” The country of Nigeria is a shining example of how young people may innovate and contribute to society.

The author makes the observation that “these young citizens are not only dedicated to integrating human elements into the developing technology domain, but their efforts also extend to numerous disciplines, ranging from telemedicine to the automation of agriculture, all with the purpose of making our daily lives more seamless.”

In regard to the climate catastrophe, the Vice President expressed their opinion as follows: “the climate crisis throughout the globe too has dominated our agenda, driving our youthful innovators to engage in building solutions.”

“This intense commitment has resulted in the formation of start-ups like the Climate Action Africa (CMA) Labs, a hub committed to tackling different challenges posed by climate change,” he announced. “These challenges include severe droughts, flooding, and the growing agricultural complications.” [CMA Labs] is a center dedicated to addressing diverse challenges posed by climate change.

While emphasizing the necessity of global collaboration, the Vice President issued a stern warning, stating that “the stakes are high.” If we don’t take action right away, the current trajectory could put our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in jeopardy.

in the past Miguel Diaz-Canel, President of Cuba and Chair of G77+China, delivered a speech of welcome during the opening ceremony. In it, he regretted the hazardous situations that developing countries who are member states are currently facing.

He pointed out that advances in science, technology, and innovation have only been beneficial to industrialized nations, whereas the majority of countries in the global South are still experiencing very serious hurdles to their development; as a result, the President called for collective wisdom to solve these difficulties.

In his brief remarks, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, brought up the issues with development that are being faced by poor nations and stated that the United Nations system will continue to collaborate with the Group of 77 and China to find answers to these difficulties.