Nigeria says it has deployed skilled professionals to more than 40 countries, thus strengthening international cooperation in healthcare, education, engineering and development.

The federal government disclosed this during the United Nations General Assembly’s Second Committee discussions on development cooperation.

Nigeria’s deputy permanent representative, Martin Adamu, delivered the national statement on behalf of the Nigerian delegation while addressing the committee’s consideration of United Nations development activities.

The delegation said Nigeria’s international technical assistance programme had operated for more than three decades, supporting countries across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. It identified the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) as a principal instrument for sharing the country’s professional expertise with developing countries.

According to the delegation, beneficiaries of the NTAC programme include countries that need specialised personnel in medicine, engineering, education, and other development-related professions.

Nigeria also highlighted the Directorate for Technical Cooperation in Africa as an institution supporting collaboration and economic development across the continent.

The delegation reaffirmed the country’s commitment to South-South cooperation, describing it as an important mechanism for promoting solidarity among developing nations. It explained that such cooperation enabled countries facing comparable development challenges to share knowledge, professional expertise and practical solutions.

Nigeria also supported triangular cooperation, involving partnerships between developing countries and other international development actors.

The delegation identified tropical agriculture, counterterrorism, consensus management and electoral assistance as areas offering opportunities for international knowledge-sharing. It reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for the United Nations development system and its contribution to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr Adamu said improving the operational efficiency of UN development institutions had become increasingly important as countries struggled to meet their development commitments. Nigeria restated that cooperation frameworks should align with national development plans and priorities rather than impose uniform solutions on countries.

The delegation also reaffirmed support for the UN Resident Coordinator system, particularly its role in coordinating development activities across Africa. It welcomed the UN system-wide strategy on South-South and triangular cooperation for sustainable development.

(NAN)