President Goodluck Jonathan today as part of his visit to the United States addressed the 68th United Nations General Assembly.

Amidst several concerns surrounding peace and security on the African continent raised in his speech, the president says there will be more commitment to millennium development goals by his administration.

“There have been several conflicts with devastating consequences in virtually all regions of the world, as global citizens; we have a sacred duty to free our world of wars, rivalries, ethnic conflicts and religious division.

“Our collective efforts in our drive for a better world will continue to bind us together”.

Realising the need to sustain peace in Nigeria beyond the year 2015, Jonathan says he is committed to building systems that will see that the conflicts and insecurity confronting the nation doesn’t pull it apart.

“Mr. President, Nigeria continues to support the efforts of the United Nations in addressing the global initiatives to combat the menace of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons

“We have redoubled efforts to address this arduous challenge within our borders and across the West African sub-region. In doing so, we also recognised the need for a God-based global partnership in the on-going battle against trans-border crimes including terrorism and acts of piracy

“It is regrettable that these scourges are sustained by concerted assets by non-state actors to illicit small arms and light weapons with which they foster insecurity and instability across the continent

“For us in Africa, these are the weapons of mass destruction; it is therefore in the light of our collective obligations and unseasoned struggle to end this nightmare that I congratulate member states on the adoption of the arms treaty in April this year

“Our hope is that, upon the entry into force, the arms treaty will herald an era of accountable trade in conventional arms, which is critical to the security of nations”