TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says Amina Mohammed, the newly-appointed deputy secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), will keep working for the success of his government before joining the global body.

Describing her appointment as a welcome development, Buhari said it had brought honour to the country.

According to Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, earlier this evening, Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, called Buhari to inform him of his decision to pick Mohammed.

“It is expected that the minister of environment will be transitioning to her new role in March 2017,” read a statement issued by Shehu.

“In the meantime, it is expected that she will continue to lay strong foundations with various important ongoing initiatives critical to the government’s success in the environment sector.

“These include, but not limited to, implementation of our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Climate Agreement, the successful launch of the Sovereign Green Bonds in 2017, the ongoing Ogoni cleanup and development of the Great Green Wall.”

According to the statement, Buhari endorsed the “excellent selection of Amina J. Mohammed”.

“By her appointment, Nigeria has been honoured,” he was quoted as saying.

Buhari thanked Mohammed for her untiring contribution to transform Nigeria and said he looked forward to sustained collaboration between the UN and Nigeria.

He said he had no doubt that she would continue to make Nigeria proud at the global level.