The Chief of Staff to President Muhammad Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has described foreign policy globally as dynamic and unpredictable, adding that it often centres on country’s objective, security of citizens, safety as well as promotion of regional peace.
Gambari, who was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, stated this in Abuja on Saturday, while delivering a public lecture titled “Continuity and Change in Nigeria’s Foreign Policy under President Buhari” at the Tafawa Balewa House, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja said the country’s initiatives had helped to stabilise Nigeria’s security amidst Boko Haram/ISWAP onslaught.
The 2021 annual lecture which was organised by the Society For International Relations Awareness (SIRA), a leading international relations think-tank in Africa had a robust collection of members of the diplomatic corps, experts in political affairs, members of the international relations communities, diplomats, government functionaries, the media among others.
He also noted that despite the fact that nation’s sets out what it intends to achieve via foreign policy, he advocated well drawn roadmaps and proper use of requisite tools of engagement to realise such objectives.
He said that the foreign policy is a roadmap in realising national interest, using requisite tools of engagement’s policy objective and has continued to remain the same despite administration change.
He regretted that upon attainments of independence, it was easier to build national consensus compared to what nation’s are contending with globally today, urging countries to be more proactive in its diplomatic pursuit.
Speaking further, Gambari observed that despite myriads of challenges that has complicated Nigeria’s peace, security and cohesion, the Buhari administration has been able to mobilise the United Nations, United States, France and ECOWAS in the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP.
He also identified repatriation of looted funds from Nigeria from State of Jersey, the United Kingdom and across the globe as well as elections of Amina Mohammed (UN) Dr Akinwumi Adesina (AfDB), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (WTO), Obeh Osuji (African Court) and Mohammed Barkindo (OPEC) among others as dividends of positive diplomatic approach exemplified by Nigeria.
Also, President of SIRA, Owei Lakemfa, explained that the topic in discourse was against the backdrop of present happenings, expressing regrets that Africa’s collective stance is continually weakened by a slight in the African foreign policy.
The event with the support of Friedrich Ebert Stuffing, (FES) Nigeria and the European Union (EU) also made a presentation of SIRA book titled “Multilateralism in the Contemporary World.”
