The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged world leaders to renew their commitment to humanitarian duty and moral responsibility in confronting global suffering.
Akpabio made the call during the Humanitarian Session of the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Senator Osita Ngwu.
He stated that the true measure of a nation’s greatness lies not in its wealth or military might but in its compassion and dedication to protecting the vulnerable.
“We meet in a world that is weary and wounded. A world that bleeds in silence. Three hundred and ten million people in need — these are not figures; they are faces,” he said.
The Senate President noted that Nigeria continues to uphold its humanitarian and constitutional obligations through the establishment of institutions such as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the National Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons.
He also highlighted several laws enacted to safeguard vulnerable citizens, including the Violence Against Persons Act, the Child Rights Act, the Trafficking in Persons Act, and the Disability Act.
Akpabio reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multilateral cooperation through partnerships with ECOWAS, the Red Crescent, the World Food Programme, and the United Nations to tackle humanitarian challenges and address issues such as climate change and corruption.
He called on global leaders to place peace above conflict, warning that wars only yield generational devastation.
“We must stop wars before wars stop us. There are no battlefields — only fields of mourning. Each gunshot silences a dream; each victory buries a generation,” he said.
The Nigerian delegation to the IPU Assembly included Senators Ireti Kingibe, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Zam Titus, Folorunsho Ibrahim Jimoh, and Ibrahim Dankwambo, as well as Hon. Mark Esset and other members of the House of Representatives.