 It is my very special pleasure to join you for the launch of the UN Global Compact Africa Strategy. The decade of action for sustainable development goals is a historic opportunity to realize our vision for a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Africa. Being our aspirations, a reality however, will require an unprecedented degree of cooperation and collective action across all actors of society, governments, civil society, and of course the private sector. Now is the time for the African private sector to scale up its contributions to the continent's economic and social transformation. As the African continent of free trade agreement enters into force, African businesses have a historic opportunity to embrace sustainability and be part of the collective effort to build a more sustainable and inclusive future. At the same time, sustainable business models and investments guided by the SDGs will unlock an estimated US$1 trillion for responsible businesses in Africa by 2030. The new UN Global Compact Africa Strategy comes at a crucial time. With its global multi-stakeholder network and its unparalleled thought, leadership, and expertise, the United Nations Global Compact is uniquely positioned to play a vital role in mobilizing the African private sector for the SDGs. I'd like to express my full support for the new Africa strategy, particularly for its focus on SMEs, youth and women, and to ensure that no one is left behind on our journey towards achieving sustainable and inclusive development. In the spirit of the SDGs, which seek to promote economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection, engaging the rapidly growing youth population through jobs and opportunities must remain a central priority of African governments. As we tackle the issues of climate change and embark on collectively transitioning to a net-zero global economy, it's important to underscore the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Nigeria looks forward to the establishment of new global compact Africa hub in Abuja next year, which will coordinate and drive the implementation of the strategy on the continent. I take this opportunity to urge all companies operating in Africa to seize this moment and drive ambitious SDG actions throughout the operations and supply chains guided by the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. I also call on all companies across Africa to engage more deeply as a strong and positive influence on society and leverage their resources and innovation and investments to advance the global goals and create the Africa that we want. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the UN Global Compact in implementing this ambitious strategy. Only by working together across governments, the private sector and civil society can we pave the way for a stronger, more equitable and more inclusive world. Thank you very much.