President Goodluck Jonathan will address the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly today. It will mark his second appearance at the annual event of the world body in New York.
Jonathan who arrived New York on Monday night is expected to brief the General Assembly on the anti-corruption efforts of his administration .
He is also scheduled to have a private meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon on various issues ranging from combating terrorism to eradicating communicable diseases in Nigeria.
According to the schedule of the United Nations, President Jonathan is among over 30 world leaders who will feature at the opening session of the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate.
The President is also scheduled to attend a symposium on counter-terrorism, high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases, a meeting on sustainable energy for all, a high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security, a special session on Libya, and a special plea for the Horn of Africa, where about 13.3 million people are in need of urgent assistance due to famine that is plaguing the region.
The President, at the session will address issues relating the prevention and control of non communicable diseases worldwide with particular focus on developmental challenges and other social and economic impacts, particularly for developing countries.
Meanwhile, as part of its priorities during the ongoing General Assembly, the
United Nations has launched an all-out attack on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and diabetes with a summit meeting devoted to curbing the factors, like tobacco and alcohol use, behind the often preventable scourge that causes 63 per cent of all deaths.
The two-day high level which is expected to host more than 30 heads of State and Government and at least 100 other senior ministers and experts, will at the end adopt a declaration calling for a multi-pronged campaign by governments, industry and civil society to set up by 2013 the plans needed to curb the risk factors behind the four groups of NCDs – cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.