Foundation urges unity ahead of 2025 Global Disability Summit

The Albino Foundation Africa (TAF Africa) has called on Nigerian disability community to remain united while presenting its commitment towards fostering disability-inclusive development at 2025 Global Disability Summit in Germany.

Mr Jake Epelle, the Chief Executive Officer of the group, made the call on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that the summit, which is scheduled to be held between April 2 and 3 in Berlin, Germany, is organised by the International Disability Alliance and the governments of Germany and Jordan.

”We have to ensure that the disability community go there with one voice and the position of the Nigerian Community of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) as well as that of government is well articulated.

”We have to determine what will be our position so that we don’t go there and everybody is speaking across purpose, there is a need for us to have one voice that resonate in the conference.

”A voice that will speak to specific issues that would address the yearnings and aspirations of Persons with Disabilities especially the need to advance our social inclusion” Epelle said.

The TAF Africa CEO also explained that the focus of the summit would be the commitment of stakeholders especially on the areas of need to PwDs.

”Commitment is part of the summit because it is designed to get individuals, organisations, countries to send in their commitments.

”If your commitment is on inclusion, if your commitment is on women empowerment or engaging critical stakeholders, you have to detail that commitment and it has to be read on the floor of the Summit.

”Nigeria has not been part of the co-sponsors of the summit and I think we should be calling for Nigeria to be recognised as the Co-Sponsor like Kenya and Ghana,” he said.

Epelle therefore, expressed the need for Nigeria to cosponsor the next Global Summit on Disability to showcase the country’s commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.

The aim of the Summit is to draw countries commitment to fostering disability-inclusive development, galvanise global efforts to achieve disability inclusion around the world (NAN)

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab