“For what is foreign policy? It is the adjustment of your relationship with other states in such a way as to ensure the prosperity of your state in peace and its safety in war”- Douglas Reed
The enunciation of policies around development, democracy, demographics and diaspora, that form the “4Ds”, is a clear appreciation by the present administration of the intricacies of today’s international environment and the imperatives of engaging with partners on the basis of specific values and principles.
The idea that foreign policy can be framed or contextualised around concepts like neutrality, non-alignment, an assertive posture or strategic autonomy and others, is merely a subjective process aimed at seeking to establish the contours or approaches to the conduct of relations with other states and entities by a country.
As such, making clear choices as to the path to be pursued in conducting a nation’s foreign policy is a critical determinant and contributory factor to its success. The “4Ds”, therefore, form the signposts that guide the translation of aspirations into positive action in the conduct and management of Nigeria’s foreign policy.
The present administration in Nigeria has expounded an elaborate programme of action and national renewal around the “Renewed Hope” agenda, to address the myriads of issues that are confronting Nigeria today. These issues and challenges are critical and some are even of existential importance. As such, they will have to be approached from a systemic perspective taking into consideration the efficacy as well as efficiency of organisation of the government and timely execution of programmes around various policy frameworks.
Foreign policy and the effective engagement with the international community should be one of such priorities that the administration should be seized with. The conduct of foreign policy will have to be approached from its totality with particular emphasis on the organisation of the relevant state outfits charged with the mandate of execution of Nigeria’s diplomatic initiatives which primarily entails the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Nigerian missions abroad.
The clear identification and pursuit of Nigeria’s core and elemental national interest should also inform the foreign policy posture of this administration. Both in principle and in practice, foreign policy as a construct is the foundation on which the essences of the state are formed, and around which their identities are delineated.
The promotion and protection of Nigeria’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, national security and national values, national economic development, etc, which in foreign policy parlance form what is called the national interest, constitute the core reasons for the existence of the state and in which all state pursuits are encapsulated. Foreign policy, therefore, reflects the dignity and identity of the state and the nation, and also forms the basis upon which nation-building and consolidation are undertaken.
Beyond the functions of facilitating interaction between and among states, foreign policy essentially entails how a country or a nation organises itself. It sums up the essence of its governance, its economy, its security and defence, its regional and global outlooks, its cultures and traditions, the projection of its image and character abroad, the quality and substance of its leadership and the nature of its institutions and other fundamental aspects that make it unique and give it the attributes of a sovereign entity. This capacity to organise and sustain a system over a period of time gives credibility to the state and reflects the vitality as well as the viability of the nation. These find their ultimate expression in the conduct of foreign policy and diplomatic exchanges with other sovereign entities and international organisations.
Pursuant to this, it becomes necessary and indeed, indispensable, that the current administration should be seized with the conduct of foreign policy with astute appreciation and clear understanding of its intricacies, challenges and opportunities. This project should, therefore, start at the governance or administrative level by ensuring the efficient organisation and adequate resourcing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its organs.
It should also entail the clear understanding of the elements of Nigeria’s national interest and elaboration of strategies towards their pursuit. The fact that foreign policy is an exclusive preserve of the executive arm of the government informs that certain choices should be made at the domestic level that would ultimately impact on the effective and efficient conduct of the country’s foreign policy.
Such choices include the identification, elaboration and timely pursuit of key objectives and priorities around concrete national interests and values that dovetail with the larger outlooks and aspirations of the government of the day. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) vests all executive powers in the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces that includes the conduct of foreign policy of the country. Chapter Two Section 19 sets out the foreign policy objectives of the country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors and others delegated with subsidiary powers at the pleasure and discretion of the President can exercise powers and responsibilities on his behalf in the realm of foreign policy.
The entre provisions of Chapter Two dovetail with the effective implementation of Nigeria’s foreign policy, such that it encompasses the various listed areas pertaining to the economy, government and people, social objective, political, environmental, educational and cultural objectives, as well as the attainment of the effective and progressive organisation of the Nigerian state and government. The rights, freedoms, obligations and privileges of Nigerians, their citizenship and nationality as well as other factors that effectively establish a symbiotic relationship between the state and the citizen under Chapter Two of the Constitution, are matters to do with the country’s foreign policy.
Furthermore, the provisions of Chapter Four are actions that would necessarily require backing and support of the country’s foreign policy to enhance Nigeria’s image as a benevolent and civilised country equal in status and position to any others. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the statutory establishment that conducts Nigeria’s foreign policy and all diplomatic engagements. The reform, reinforcement and resourcing, RRR, of the Ministry should be among the first considerations of the administration. The institution’s capacity has suffered in recent years due to various factors among which are the loss of pre-eminence in the discharge of diplomatic business of the country and the sharing of prerogatives with other organs of the government.
In order to return the Ministry to its pre-eminent position in the conduct and administration of foreign policy in Nigeria, its structure should be reviewed and strengthened through specific measures aimed at rebuilding its capacities and reinforcing its credibility. The Ministry’s main statutory functions should be sharpened in the light of sweeping developments in the global and regional diplomatic landscapes which have necessitated the meeting of different levels of challenges.
Structures or agencies that have been placed under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs such as the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA; the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps, TAC; the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, IPCR; the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, DTCA; and the Foreign Service Academy, FSA, as well as the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, should be better funded and brought up to regional and even world standards in their operations and service delivery capacities.
The post The “Renewed Hope” Agenda and Nigeria’s foreign policy: Some suggestions on the actualisation of the “4Ds” objectives(1), by Usman Sarki appeared first on Vanguard News.
