The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District has informed the United Nations (UN) that proposing a global tax to fund the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is inappropriate and unacceptable, as the international system is anarchic and lack the authority to comply.
He further asserts that there was no comprehensive international system in place.
Ibrahim made this statement during the inter parliamentary opening session in New York on Thursday.
According to him, global taxes will further exacerbate inequality within the geocentric system and could also increase poverty, undermining the UN’s efforts to eradicate poverty by 2030.
As an alternative, Ibrahim suggested that environmental polluters compensate Africa to alleviate the debt burden.
‘It is time for African legislators to act decisively and compel the rest of the world to pay compensation for climate impacts so that we can finance our SDGs.’ he added.
Ibrahim identified that, among other issues, the SDGs struggle to achieve the goal of poverty eradication because many who are invested in meaningful outcomes are being excluded.
Furthermore, there is a lack of transparency, a deficit of trust, a significant failure of multilateralism, and insufficient support from non-state actors for the SDGs.
Ibrahim informed the UN that the year 2030 is approaching rapidly, emphasising a major shortfall in achieving the primary goal of poverty eradication, advising that a review is becoming increasingly necessary.
Senator Ibrahim openly praised President Bola Tinubu for upholding his commitment to the SDGs in his budget proposal at the UN’s Inter parliamentary.
He, however, urged the UN to reflect inward, as time is critical for the success of the SDGs.