Nigeria has been commended for its decision to lift sanctions as well as reopen borders with Niger Republic
The Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria, AFRPN, Ambassador, Dr. Gani Lawal made commendation at a pre-conference media engagement session in Abuja
Dr. Lawal who commended Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the decision said that “the President, as an Elder Statesman took the decision to enhance the existing bilateral relationship between the two neighbouring countries.”
On the Nigeria’s foreign policy, he advised the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, not to jettison the country’s age long pursuit of concentric brother keeper’s foreign policy.
Dr. Lawal further noted that a nation ought to weave its national interest around the weight of its Military industrial complex and natural resources to earn a favorable edge in the global intercourse.
He said: “As you are aware, foreign policy is an extension of internal policy dictated by the vagaries of the external environment. It is crafted around what a nation wants and does not want on the basis of its national interests from the global stage. An impactful foreign policy cannot be conducted in an atmosphere of poor internal political and economic dynamics.
Dr Lawal said; “It is expected that a nation will weave its national interest around the weight of its Military industrial complex and natural resources to earn a favorable comparable edge in the global intercourse.”
He emphasised that the national interest of Nigeria is to build a strong economic base, fight insurgency and terrorism and decapitate the corruption monster.
Dr Lawmaker noted that finding resources to actualise these interests in the international arena should remain the cornerstone of Nigeria foreign policy goals.
Speaking on the role of ECOWAS in the unconstitutional change of government, as well as the 4D mantra of President Tinubu’s foreign policy thrust, Dr. Lawal said: “Nurturing democracy is not a tea-party; it requires creation of a robust and elaborate educationally informed population that will act as vanguard of democracy.
“A largely illiterate and uninformed population cannot enhance democracy, therefore Nigeria’s insistence on zero tolerance for military coups and undemocratic change of government in Africa, requires that Nigeria must demonstrate with examples of nurturing and deepening its internal democracy and ready to assist less endowed neighbors to maintain their internal democracy.”
On the forthcoming 6th annual lectures and conference of the association, Dr Lawal said it was designed to interrogate issues of the moment by experienced practitioner.
The guest lecturer is the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Hajiya Amina Muhammed while Professor Ibrahim Gambari the Chief of Staff to former president, Muhammadu Buhari, will be the Chairman of the occasion.
The 6th annual lectures/conference will take place on Tuesday the 26th of March 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria.
The topic for this year’s lecture is “Unconstitutional change of government and attainment of AU63 Agenda and UN SDGs – The case of West Africa and the Sahel Sub region.”
The Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN) is a society of foreign relations experts consisting of serving and retired career diplomats and ambassadors, scholars, and researchers on foreign policy and international relations.
VON