Radda Takes North-west Peace Plan to UN General Assembly

• Woos global investors for implementation

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

The Chairman of the North-west Governors’ Forum and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, will on Monday lead governors from the seven states of the region to New York to present its Peace, Security and Development Framework 2026–2030 to the international community.

The framework, which provides a regional approach to peace, security, resilience and development, will be presented at a high-level side event on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The event, titled ‘From Fragility to Opportunity: Locally Led Pathways to Peace, Resilience and Investment in Fragile Contexts,’ is expected to bring together development partners, investors, financial institutions and private-sector leaders.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Radda, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, said the presentation marked a major step in the evolution of the North-west Governors’ Forum from regional consultations to a coordinated development agenda for the seven states.

According to the statement, the framework emerged from efforts by the governors to build consensus around shared challenges confronting the region and establish a common pathway for addressing issues of peace, security and sustainable development.

The process, the statement said, has been supported by the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with sustained high-level engagement from the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina J. Mohammed.

It added that the framework is expected to serve as a basis for stronger regional cooperation and partnerships aimed at addressing insecurity, strengthening resilience and accelerating socio-economic development across the region.

The statement read: “The New York engagement will also provide an opportunity for the governors to seek international partnerships, financing and private-sector investment to support implementation of the framework.

“The side event will also seek stronger partnerships, financing and private investment for implementation of the framework, under the regional message: Seven States. One Ambition.”

It further disclosed that the regional agenda would highlight investment opportunities in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology, mining and human capital development as part of efforts to transform the region’s challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth.

The statement noted that Governor Radda’s participation underscores the forum’s transition from developing a shared regional position to taking the North-west’s collective peace, security and development agenda to the global stage.