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U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S

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U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OP-ED ON THE SUMMIT OF THE FUTURE

By: Michael Mike

World Leaders Must Re-boot Global Cooperation for Today and Tomorrow

Final negotiations are underway in New York for this month’s Summit of the Future, where Heads of State will agree on reforms to the building blocks of global cooperation.

The United Nations has convened this unique Summit because of a stark fact: global problems are moving faster than the institutions designed to solve them.

We see this all around us. Ferocious conflicts and violence are inflicting terrible suffering; geopolitical divisions are rife; inequality and injustice are everywhere, corroding trust, compounding grievances, and feeding populism and extremism. The age-old challenges of poverty, hunger, discrimination, misogyny and racism are taking on new forms.

Meanwhile, we face new and existential threats, from runaway climate chaos and environmental degradation to technologies like Artificial Intelligence developing in an ethical and legal vacuum.

The Summit of the Future recognizes that the solutions to all these challenges are in our hands. But we need a systems update that only global leaders can deliver.

International decision-making is stuck in a time warp. Many global institutions and tools are a product of the 1940s – an era before globalization, before decolonization, before widespread recognition of universal human rights and gender equality, before humanity travelled into space – never mind cyberspace.

The victors of World War II still have pre-eminence in the UN Security Council while the entire continent of Africa lacks a permanent seat. The global financial architecture is heavily weighted against developing countries and fails to provide a safety net when they face difficulties, leaving them drowning in debt, which drains money away from investments in their people.

And global institutions offer limited space for many of the major players in today’s world – from civil society to the private sector. Young people who will inherit the future are almost invisible, while the interests of future generations go unrepresented.

The message is clear: we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents. The Summit of the Future will be an opportunity to re-boot multilateral collaboration fit for the 21st century.

The solutions we have proposed include a New Agenda for Peace focused on updating international institutions and tools to prevent and end conflicts, including the UN Security Council. The New Agenda for Peace calls for a renewed push to rid our world of nuclear arms and other Weapons of Mass Destruction; and for broadening the definition of security to encompass gender-based violence and gang violence. It takes future security threats into account, recognizing the changing nature of warfare and the risks of weaponizing new technologies. For example, we need a global agreement to outlaw so-called Lethal Autonomous Weapons that can take life-or-death decisions without human input.

Global financial institutions must reflect today’s world and be equipped to lead a more powerful response to today’s challenges – debt, sustainable development, climate action. That means concrete steps to tackle debt distress, increase the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and change their business model so that developing countries have far more access to private finance at affordable rates.

Without that finance, developing countries will not be able to tackle our greatest future threat: the climate crisis. They urgently need resources to transition from planet-wrecking fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.

And as leaders highlighted last year, reforming the global financial architecture is also key to jump-starting desperately needed progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Summit will also focus on new technologies with a global impact, seeking ways to close the digital divide and establish shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all.
Artificial Intelligence is a revolutionary technology with applications and risks we are only beginning to understand. We have put forward specific proposals for governments, together with tech companies, academia and civil society, to work on risk management frameworks for AI and on monitoring and mitigating its harms, as well as sharing its benefits. The governance of AI cannot be left to the rich; it requires that all countries participate, and the UN is ready to provide a platform to bring people together.
Human rights and gender equality are a common thread linking all these proposals. Global decision-making cannot be reformed without respect for all human rights and for cultural diversity, ensuring the full participation and leadership of women and girls. We are demanding renewed efforts to remove the historic barriers – legal, social and economic – that exclude women from power.

The peacebuilders of the 1940s created institutions that helped prevent World War III and ushered many countries from colonization to independence. But they would not recognize today’s global landscape.

The Summit of the Future is a chance to build more effective and inclusive institutions and tools for global cooperation, tuned to the 21st century and our multipolar world.

I urge leaders to seize it.

U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S

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Troops Arrest Suspected ISWAP Logistics Supplier, Vigilante Accomplice in Borno

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Troops Arrest Suspected ISWAP Logistics Supplier, Vigilante Accomplice in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics supplier and an alleged accomplice during an intelligence-led operation in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation followed sustained communication intercepts and surveillance on suspected terrorist logistics networks operating within the area.

The sources said troops of the 222 Battalion (Mechanised) conducted a covert operation at about 10:00 p.m. on June 26 and arrested the suspect, identified as Abdullahi Hamza, in Malari village while he was allegedly attempting to deliver supplies to ISWAP fighters.

Items recovered from the suspect included a loaf of bread, two bottles of soft drinks, a pack of sewing needles and thread, which investigators believe were intended for insurgent elements.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed that he was on his way to meet an ISWAP member whose telephone number had earlier been identified through intelligence intercepts.

The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of a second suspect, Haruna Abubakar, identified as a member of a vigilante group in Maiduguri, who is alleged to have acted as an accomplice.

Both suspects have been handed over to the military intelligence authorities for further investigation and profiling.

Military sources said the arrests underscore the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling terrorist logistics and support networks across the North-East.

The sources added that troops would continue sustained surveillance, covert operations and intelligence exploitation to identify and disrupt individuals providing material support to terrorist groups operating in the region.

Troops Intercept Tricycle, Solar Equipment Suspected for Terrorist Logistics in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted a tricycle and a consignment of solar generators and panels suspected to be destined for terrorist elements during a stop-and-search operation along the Potiskum–Maiduguri highway.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the interception was made at about 8:00 p.m. on June 26 by troops of the 233 Tank Battalion deployed at a checkpoint along the route.

According to the sources, troops first intercepted a truck bearing registration number KTG 647 ZZ conveying a tricycle without valid ownership or transportation documents.

Further search operations along the route led to the interception of a Volkswagen Sharan with registration number KRD 74 XL, loaded with 16 solar panels and 16 solar generators, also without valid documentation.

The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Nasiru, 39, from Azare Local Government Area of Bauchi State; Anas Danliti, 35, also from Azare, Bauchi State; and Kabiru Yakubu, 55, from Hardokwala Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The suspects and the recovered items are currently in the custody of the 233 Tank Battalion for further investigation to determine the ownership, destination and intended use of the equipment.

Military sources said the operation forms part of sustained efforts by Operation Hadin Kai to disrupt terrorist logistics networks and prevent the movement of equipment that could support insurgent activities in the North-East.

The sources added that troops have continued to intensify stop-and-search operations along major supply routes as part of ongoing measures to deny terrorist groups access to critical logistics.

Troops Arrest Suspected ISWAP Logistics Supplier, Vigilante Accomplice in Borno

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Nine Irigwe Residents Killed in Armed Fulani Bandits’ Attack in Kaduna

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Nine Irigwe Residents Killed in Armed Fulani Bandits’ Attack in Kaduna

By Zagazola Makama

Nine members of the Irigwe community, have been killed following an attack by armed fulani bandits on Ungwan Magaji village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attackers stormed the community in the early hours of June 16, opening fire on residents and killing nine persons.

The victims were laid to rest on Saturday, June 27, in a mass burial attended by members of the Irigwe community, religious leaders and sympathisers.

Community leaders condemned the attack and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible and prevent further attacks in the area.

They also urged the government to strengthen security in vulnerable communities along the Plateau-Kaduna border.

Security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

Nine Irigwe Residents Killed in Armed Fulani Bandits’ Attack in Kaduna

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MACBAN Chairman, Son Killed After Peace Meeting in Benue

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MACBAN Chairman, Son Killed After Peace Meeting in Benue

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Alhaji Ardo Risku, and his son, Ibrahim, have reportedly been killed by local militia members while returning from a peace meeting in Otukpo, Benue state.

Sources said the incident occurred near Ahimeni in the Okodu area as the victims were travelling home after participating in the meeting aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence among communities.

The killing has sparked renewed concern over the persistent insecurity in parts of Benue State, where recurring attacks have continued to claim lives and heighten ethnic tensions.

Community members described the incident as tragic, noting the irony that the victims lost their lives shortly after attending a meeting dedicated to promoting peace and dialogue.

Stakeholders have urged Nigerians not to allow the actions of criminal elements to fuel ethnic profiling or collective blame, stressing that criminality should remain an individual responsibility rather than being attributed to any ethnic or religious group.

They noted that millions of Fulani men, women and children are law-abiding citizens who contribute to their communities and should not be targeted because of the actions of a few criminal elements.

The incident has further pointed to the need for sustained collaboration among government, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to address insecurity and strengthen peace-building initiatives across the country.

As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while efforts were reportedly ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.

The latest attack adds to growing concerns over the cycle of violence in parts of the country and highlights the urgent need for lasting measures to safeguard innocent lives and promote peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.

MACBAN Chairman, Son Killed After Peace Meeting in Benue

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