The Secretary of the Cross River State Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Elizabeth Greene, has said her participation in the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 2026) in New York has opened strategic international opportunities for the development of Cross River State.
Greene, who was part of the Nigerian delegation led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, disclosed this in a communique outlining her engagements during the UN High-Level Week.
The 2026 UN General Assembly was held under the theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”
According to Greene, Nigeria’s delegation included four governors, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Babagana Zulum of Borno State as well as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, members of the Federal Executive Council and other senior government officials.
She said a major highlight of Nigeria’s participation was the delivery of President Bola Tinubu’s National Statement by Vice President Shettima on September 24.
Greene said the statement focused on issues including reform of the United Nations, international peace and security, climate action, technology and sustainable development.
She noted that Nigeria renewed its call for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, including at least two permanent seats with veto rights for Africa in line with the Ezulwini Consensus, as well as five non-permanent seats.
The Vice President, she added, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international peace and security, highlighting the country’s contributions to peace efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia.
He also called for stronger international action against terrorism, cyber attacks and illicit financial flows, according to Greene.
On Climate Action and Cross River’s Ecological Challenges, Greene said Nigeria’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, with emphasis on renewable energy, clean cooking and climate-smart agriculture, had particular relevance to Cross River State because of its biodiversity and agricultural potential.
She, however, stressed that climate action was not merely a global policy issue for Cross River but an immediate development and survival concern.
According to her, the state delegation used the UNGA platform to draw international attention to the devastating landslides and severe gully erosion threatening lives, communities and infrastructure across the Calabar metropolis. Greene said greater access to sub-national climate financing would be critical to addressing the ecological challenges confronting the state.
The Diaspora Commission Secretary also disclosed that the Cross River delegation held engagements on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Heads of State, country representatives and other international stakeholders.
She said discussions were ongoing on ways to connect Cross River State to international opportunities in trade and investment, agriculture, tourism and diaspora engagement.
Among the opportunities identified, she said, were the possibility of establishing a maritime corridor between Calabar and Ghanaian ports in Accra and Takoradi.
Other areas include leveraging the Calabar Free Trade Zone to attract West African manufacturers, developing cooperation in cocoa processing and value addition, and creating tourism partnerships linking Ghana’s heritage sites with Cross River’s Obudu Mountain Resort and the Calabar Carnival.
Greene clarified that the initiatives were not concluded agreements but strategic opportunities that would require federal approvals, private-sector participation and sustained institutional engagement.
She expressed appreciation to Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, for his support and policy direction under the administration’s People First agenda.
She also thanked Vice President Shettima for the opportunity to serve as part of the Nigerian delegation to the global gathering. Greene said her UNGA experience had reinforced the importance of strengthening the connection between Cross River State, its diaspora and the international community.
She said the objective should be to translate international relationships and global engagements into tangible outcomes, including jobs, investment and sustainable development for the people of Cross River State.
