Diplomatic group drives community development in Rivers

The United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD), a 34-member nation non-governmental organisation with United Nations ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) status that promotes peace through diplomacy, has moved to deepen socio-economic development in Rivers communities through greater commitment to philanthropic initiatives.

Converging in Port Harcourt, Thursday, members of the regional chapter of the group stressed the need to imbibe the cultures of selflessness, sacrifice and harmony to achieve their community development goals as part of the organisation’s global impact.

Larry-Goodwill Ajiola, UN-WCD’s Head of Policy and Diplomatic Affairs in the South-South and South-East Region, said as peace advocates and community stakeholders, global diplomats have a duty to make impact in the society.

He said the seminar served as a platform to enlighten the diplomats on this, describing the engagement as a success.

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Ajiola, a peace ambassador, told BusinessDay: “We are happy that today, we’re able to make it a success. The essence of today’s event is to have an engagement between all of us. Global diplomats are in the community, in the society. They need to understand who they are so that they can do well in the society where they find themselves.”

He said collaboration with the government was essential to achieve collective goals for the common good of all, especially in a country like Nigeria where challenges are many.

He however, advised the diplomats to support good government initiatives as partners in progress while expressing confidence in the nation’s leaders’ ability to chart clear development trajectories in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Our leaders are good enough to fix Nigeria’s problems. Though constructive criticism is necessary for every thriving democracy, we should also understand our challenges.

“We should begin to inculcate positivity rather than promoting negativity on efforts geared towards nation building,” he said.

Ajiola emphasised the essence of peace and stable environment for sustained development in the country beginning from the communities.

According to him, for lasting peace to be achieved, religious tolerance was necessary hence the need for global diplomats to promote it wherever they find themselves.

Most of the participants, who joined the UN-WCD as new inductees, commended the group for the initiative.

They pledged commitment to the group’s ideals of promoting diplomacy for global peace, facilitating community development and implementation of UN SDGs across societies.

“I was enriched by this seminar. It’s the kind of engagement we need at a time like this that challenges abound in every sector of our society, talking of hardship, hunger, insecurity, inflation and others. At least, we the global diplomats can now help in our own little ways to better our communities and our people’s lives,” one of the new inductees said.