Gentlemen of the Press.
Exactly a week ago i was sworn in as Minster of Foreign affairs after my screening together with other members of the New cabinet by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I wish to share with Nigerians the foreign policy direction of the current administration in line with the Manifesto of our great party,the All Progressives Congress and the policy document of the President and Commander-in-Chief of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I accept the responsibility of serving as Minster of Foreign affairs of our great country having the full insight that it is both a very challenging and demanding task considering the plethora of global challenges that increasingly shape our world and our future in recent times.
In line with the strategic Foreign policy direction envisioned by the founding fathers of Nigeria and the strategic Foreign policy objectives of the President, Africa will continue to remain the major Foreign policy focus of this administration.As the most populous country and biggest economy in Africa, Nigeria shall continue to pursue it’s global diplomacy and engagements with the rest of the global community for the peace, stability and economic prosperity of the African continent and the entire world.
I wish to state clearly that one of the important component of Mr. President’s foreign policy priorities is to restore and consolidate Nigeria’s leadership role and respect in the African continent and the global community. As the Foreign affairs Minster,i understand fully well that achieving these foreign policy objectives requires both serious hardwork and actions.This made me to take this responsibility seriously and with the guidance from the President and support of our hardworking staff in the Ministry of Foreign affairs, we shall achieve our highly ambitious, innovative and strategic Foreign policy objectives.
Based on the briefings i received during my engagements with the Permanent secretary,Directors and staff of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, I’m glad to confidently say that the bureaucracy is fully abreast with the challenging task ahead. I’m glad to state that the bureaucracy clearly understood that to achieve the Foreign policy objectives of the current administration in a rapidly changing global dynamics, leadership and strategic engagement in the global community matters. As the Foreign Affairs Minster,i intends to work assiduously with my team in the ministry of Foreign affairs and our diplomatic staff in our various embassies abroad to provide the required leadership and ensure that Nigeria takes its righful leadership position as leader in the African continent in line with our strategic Foreign policy objectives.
As contained in the policy document that our great party campaigned with, our Foreign policy objectives are formulated to pursue our core domestic objectives in the international arena. Accordingly, our Foreign policy objectives are formulated to promote and support our domestic policy objective of rapid economic growth through manufacturing and industrialisation, fighting terrorism to ensure peace, security and stability in our country and deepening democratic culture through respect for human rights, entrenching freedom for all citizens including the freedom of the press and strict adherence to the rule of law. To promote effective inter-Agency collaboration in Foreign policy, a department of strategic policy shall be established in the Ministry of Foreign affairs to improve the formulation, implementation and monitoring of the Foreign policy objectives of the current administration.
The Present administration intends to continue the ongoing Military and security collaboration to consolidate and build on the gains made in tackling transnational terrorism and cross-border movements of terrorists to combat the menace of Boko Haram Terrorists(BHT), the Islamic state of west Africa Province(ISWAP) and the movement of Bandits and other criminal elements in the west African sub-region.Our military collaboration with our four neighbours bordering the lake Chad region including Niger, Chad and the Cameroun through the Multi-National task force (MNTF) has in no small measure decimated the activities of BHT and ISWAP. To make our country and sub-region more secured, we will also continue to work with our West Africa Neighbours and other countries in the Sahel region to control the movement of small arms and light weapons in the vast Sahel region and Africa. We will also continue to work with our friends and allies including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and other partners in the global alliance against terrorism. We believe fighting terrorism needs a global alliance involving all Nations of the world as no country can succeed alone. Nigeria will continue to play it’s strategic leadership role in regional as well as global peace and stability. We believe for Nigeria and indeed the entire African continent to achieve desired economic growth and prosperity for its people, there must be sustained and concerted global efforts to entrench peace, security and stability in the African continent.Combating and ending terrorism including transnational terrorism and cross-border movements of terrorists to make the lives of all Nigerians more secured is a top Foreign policy objective of this administration. The Ministry of Foreign affairs working in synergy with the Ministry of defense and our intelligence agencies to bring this menace to an end.
As a key component of our Foreign policy objectives, this administration will continue to work with our neighbours and partners to tackle and defeat terrorism so that we don’t only make progress on the short term but work to address its root causes such as poverty, trafficking in small arms and light weapons and climate change. Nigeria and its Neighbours believe achieving a sustainable solution to the crisis around the Lake Chad region requires addressing the challenges related to climate change and the global warming that made substantial part of the lake Chad to dry up. Together with our neighbours, we will continue with the ongoing project of recharging the lake Chad to bring the flora, fauna and its biodiversity back.This ambitious but highly impactful project would bring back the numerous fishing communities and farmers that depend on the lake Chad as their source of livelihood for their families for several decades.
We shall continue to provide the needed leadership for economic cooperation and integration among the west African sub region by strengthening our alliance in the Economic Community of West Africa States(ECOWAS). We shall continue to deepen our economic cooperation with other West African countries by liberalising trade and free movement of people, goods and services across the West African sub-region. As part of our Foreign policy objective to promote trade in west Africa; we will promote joint industrialisation and joint infrastructural projects financing including partnerships to build critical infrastructure especially roads and railways. The trans-Saharan railway project that was conceived and planned to run from Nigeria through Niger Republic to Algeria would be pursued in collaboration with our partner countries. In the same vein we shall vigorously pursue the rapid implementation of the trans-Saharan African pipeline to enable us supply our vast gas resources to African and European Markets.We will also take a giant stride to move from discussion to design and implementation together with our neighbours including Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to kick start the ambitious west African road Project. When actualised, this road infrastructural project will facilitate trade by encouraging free movement of people as well as good and services among west African countries.
To facilitate trade among countries in the West African sub-region, we shall continue to pursue the realisation of the single currency for west Africa and implement the aviation component of our bilateral agreements with all west African states.Nigeia already have direct flight from Abuja and Lagos to most Capital cities of West African Countries and we intend to increase on that the existing number number in the coming years. We will continue to work assiduously to strengthen trade relations and cooperation among west African countries to create descent jobs and engender inclusive economic growth and prosperity so that ECOWAS truly serves the people of West Africa.Nigeria will also continue to engage it’s maritime Neighbours to address the menace of crude oil theft that has deprived our country of the much needed income required to finance important development projects especially in critical infrastructure which we desperately need for our economicgrowthanddevelopment.
Nigeria has maintained trade relations with other African countries for decades and this administration will re-invent and improve on these trade relations for sustainable growth and development of our country and the African continent.Nigeria will continue to provide the strategic leadership required to turn around the economy of Africa for the benefit of the African people to reduce worsening multidimensional poverty that is prevalent especially in Sub- Saharan Africa.Structural inequality and poverty has made life miserable and unbearable to millions of people in Africa.The relationship between poverty,misery and insecurity has been well esterblished.There is therefore an urgent need for Sub-Saharan African countries to tackle and address extreme poverty as a matter of urgency for a the stability and sustainable development of Africa.The current administration is sincerely committed to working with other African countries and the international development partners to reduce the scourge of poverty in Africa.Nigeria will also continue to play it’s strategic role in the African Union (AU) to poster greater economic cooperation through liberalisation of trade among African countries and between them and the rest of the world.To achieve our Foreign policy objective of greater trade cooperation among African countries,Nigeria will continue to work with it partners for the attainment of the the laudable objectives of the African Continental free trade agreement(AfCFTA).
The global economy ought to work for all countries of the world,Africa inclusive.The developed countries need to trade more with Africa so that people in Africa can have descent jobs,good income and prosperity for themselves and their families.This administration will work with the current leadership of the World Trade Organisation(WTO) to advocate for review of prevailing International trade treaties which makes it difficult for Africa to complete with the industrialised Nations of the world.Africa needs a fair trade relations with the industrialised and developed countries and not aids.To achieve this Foreign policy objective,Nigeria will lead the African continent in seeking for reforms in WTO and other international financial institutions including the World Bank( WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to promote and protect Africa’s industrialisation and obtain fairer trade deals.This will enhance an inclusive global economic growth that benefits all countries of the world including African countries
Nigeria as the most populous and one of the most diverse countries in the world,has demonstrated that democracy founded on free, fair and credible elections has come to stay as the best form of governance in the African continent.Over the last twenty-four years of return to democratic governance,Nigeria has made substantial progress in Human rights,freedom of the press,greater engage of civil societies and a adherence to the rule of law.
However,despite spite the steady growth and sustainance of democracy and democratic culture in Nigeria,there is no question that democracy in the West-African sub region continued to be fragile.The recent illegitimate Military take over of government in some west African countries had unfortunately reverse the some of the gains made towards entrenching democracy in the west-African sub region over the last two decades.Nigeria as a bastion and the largest democracy in Africa is expected to provide the strategic leadership required to bring back democracy in all the West-African countries under Military dictatorship.The world expects Nigeria to ensure that democracies in Africa are resilient and we will not shy away from this onerous responsibility.Together with our friends and partners in the AU and the international community,we will continue to stand firm in our unresolved commitments to democracy,Human rights,freedom and the rule of law.
Africa needs to understand that resilient and strong democracies are more committed to human rights,less prone to conflicts,are better partners for our country and a more dependable markets for our manufactured good and services. Conversely,when democracies are weak,governments can’t deliver for their people,the country become polarised which make them more vulnerable to extremist agitations and they become less reliable partners to Nigeria.Helping African countries to remain democratic is in our best interest and this is the reason this administration will place premium to the entrenchment of democracy and democratic culture in the African continent As a key Foreign policy objective.Thus,shoring up democracy,Human rights and rule of law is one of the Foreign policy priorities of this administration.
Nigeria clearly understands that several of the current challenges affecting the world needs global response through strategic partnership and shared responsibility among all Countries.There is no gainsaying that not a single of the common challenges affecting the global community( terrorism,endemic poverty & inequality, climate change,pandemics etc) can be tackled by any Nation acting alone.Also,it is imperitive for us Nigerians and citizens of the global community to understand that there is no wall high or strong enough to hold back the challenges affecting our world including the existential threat of climate change.Nigeria will continue to play an active and critical role in the global response to tackle climate change.The climate change crisis is threatening our continent and is endangering all people in the world regardless of the continent they live in.Nigeria is a signatory to the Paris Accord on climate change and we will continue to adhere to the global commitment of reducing carbon emission through increased funding of Research and Development in renewable energy.While we remained committed to the global efforts to combat climate change,we shall continue to advocate an alternative policy on combating climate change on the global arena.We have always hold the view that Africa and other less industrialised countries should not made to pay for emissions caused mainly by the industrialised Nations.We shall continue to advocate for this for this position and employ the needed diplomacy to achieve this Foreign policy goal.We would also renewed our commitment to the Nigeria great green wall project and together with our neighbours and development partners expand and consolidate it to prevent the dreaded effect of desertification and it’s effect the livelihood of farmers and National food security.
The COVID 19 pandemic had clearly demonstrated the need for global collaboration and partnership in attaining global health security.We will continue our demostic effort to shore up COVID 19 vaccination and assist our neighbours through the West-African health community in their efforts to vaccinate their citizens against COVID 19.The recent resurgence of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda last years points to the need for continued regional and global collaboration and partnership to combat epidemics and pandemics.We shall continue to assist these two countries to bring the current epidemic and future epidemics under control.We shall continue to leverage on the experiences we garnered in tackling Ebola Virus disease epidemic in 2013/2014 and COVID 19 pandemic in 2020/2021 to continue to make the right investment in regional and global health security.This include utilising early warning signs to predict,prevent and stop epidemics and pandemics as well as agree and work with a framework for a firm regional commitment to share timely and accurate information to avoid health crisis from happening in thefuture.Nigetia will also forge a continent – wide collaborative efforts to rid Africa of the scourge of Malaria that continue to affect not only the haelth of its people but their productivity and economic development as well.This would be achieved by encouraging more collaboration on Malaria research and development with other African countries and other development partners on innovative way to treat and prevent Malaria and other neglected tropical diseases.The recent research that discovered Malaria vaccine is a welcome development to Nigeria and other countries in the tropics and we would work to ensure the availability of the vaccine through large scale production of the vaccines for use by our citizens and other people in Africa.
Nigeria will continue to pursue one of its key Foreign policy objective of working towards regional and global peace and security.The Ethiopia/Tigray civil war represents an eye sore not only to the African continent but the entire global community.The recent efforts by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo under the auspices of the African Union and United Nations in bringing the two warring factions together to sign a cease-fire accord is both commendable and laudable.Nigeria as a respected leader in Africa will continue to get involved through the instrumentality of AU/UN to bring this avoidable conflict to an end as soon as possible. Nigeria is also deeply concerned with the ongoing conflict in Cameroun and will work towards ending the conflict and bring lasting solution to the conflict.
As a regional power in the African continent,we are equally interested in ending the civil war in South-Sudan to put the new country on the path of sustainable peace,economic growth and development.We shall continue with the technical and aid assistance to the Republic of South Sudan as a demonstration of our commitment to regional security,peace,stability and development in the African continent.Nigeria was previously involved in peace keeping operations that restored peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo when it was then known as Congo Zaire.The current administration is interested to play a role in bringing an end to the current protracted armed conflict in that county.
There is no doubt that the lingering Russia/Ukraine war is taking a toll on global economy. Nigeria will continue to monitor closely how the effect of the war affect our economy and our well being of Nigerians. This will help us to mitigate the effect of the war on our economy and our people.The present administration will continue with Nigeria’s non partisan posture towards this conflict and continue to demand for both parties to cease hostilities and bring this avoidable conflict to an end as soon as possible.
Mr President is seriously concerned about the number of highly skilled Nigerians leaving the shores of the country for greener pasture abroad in what has been termed the “Jappa” phenomenon.The exudos of Health workers,technology experts and university lecturers will certainly affect the delivery of services these highly skilled professionals offers to our country. Under the guidance and support of the President, this challenge would be addressed through a twin approach of improving the renumeration of these highly skilled professionals working in the public sector and granting technology entrepreneurs single friendly and accessible loans by the bank of industry to set up technology start-ups and innovation hubs to support in strengthening our knowledge and digital economy.This administration will also encourage Nigerians in Diaspora that garnered experience in their chosen profession to come back home and establish Technology companies, Hospitals, colleges/Universities and other relevant investments so that Nigeria will reverse its brain drain into brain gain.I will like to assure all Nigerians in Diaspora that this administration will provide a conducive environment for any form of knowledge investment including provision of market friendly loans to encourage start-ups to boost our country’s digital and knowledge Economy.
We shall also update and updated the available data of all Nigerians in the Diaspora through the Nigerian Diaspora Commission .This administration would identify and address knowledge and data gaps to improve quantitative and qualitative knowledge of our Diaspora community to enhance more regular and vigorous engagements.The President will also send an Executive bill on the issue of Diaspora voting and working with the National assemblythe constitution shall be amended to make diaspora voting a reality.
NIgeria’s Foreign policy will continue to be Africa-centric and the present administration will pursue a Foreign policy that is beneficial to every citizen of Nigeria.To enhance Nigeria’s leadership role in the African continent, we shall advocate for the establishment of a group of five countries among African Nations (Africa’s G5). This, we believe when actualised will allow Africa to articulate and develop common position on issues of continental and global importance. We intend to strengthen and revitalise our diplomatic ties with our traditional partners, neighbours and allies. We would expand our diplomatic relationship and engagements with more friendly countries in Africa and rest of the world for the benefit of our country and its people. We have achieved so much through Foreign engagements and partnerships in the past decades working with the cooperation of our neighbours and partners on important issue that we cannot achieve working alone. We will continue to put more effort to re-invent these relationships and partnerships that we built and sustain over the years to make them best suited for the present day challenges.
We need more friends and allies to get new markets for our products as we intend to build a resilient economy anchored on manufacturing. We also need new allies to work together to tackle the threat of global terrorism, climate change, extreme poverty,emerging and re-emerging global health challenges. With increased globalisation and emerging technologies, we need to realise that the sharp distinction between domestic and foreign policy is rapidly fading away. This is why our demostic policies of sustained economic growth through manufacturing, entrenching Democratic culture,rights and strict adherence to the rule of law remains critical to the attainment of our foreign policy objectives.Getting our domestic policies right will create a very good image for our country which in the long run will contribute to our soft power and to a greater extent determine our respect in the international community. To achieve this pertinent objective,we shall ensure that continue to strengthen our domestic policies to entrench a flourishing democracy and liberalise our economy to attract foreign direct investments through a highly innovative and inclusive economic policies.
Lastly, Foreign policy objectives and relations in this administration would be achieved through strategic engagement, cooperation and partnership. The administration will pursue Nigeria’s Foreign policy objectives with dedication,hardwork and the interest of our country and it’s people.Once more I would like to mention again that Its a tremendous honour to serve as Nigeria’s Foreign affairs Minster and will like to assure all Nigerians that despite the huge challenge ahead, i’m confident that with the support and cooperation of all the staff othe Ministry of Foreign affairs and indeed all Nigerians, we shall succeed in this task.
Thank you for listening
Dr Bashir Mijinyawa Bello is a Consultant Physician and a Public Affairs Analyst
He can be contacted through [email protected]
