UN Day 2023

Today, as we commemorate the annual United Nations Day which marks the anniversary of the UN Charter coming into force on October 24, 1945. On that day 78 years ago, the UN officially came into being. I would like to salute the courageous and impactful work of my UN colleagues in Nigeria who regularly face dangers and risks in the course of their duties not just in the Northeast, but across the country. Today is also a good moment to again honour the 23 UN staff and civilians killed during the 2011 terror attack on UN House here in Abuja. And as I speak to you, courageous UN colleagues working to protect vulnerable people in the wars and conflicts I mentioned earlier are paying the ultimate price. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. And we can best honour them by letting them inspire us to continue the work of the UN.