*Sets 4-year strategic vision, review of 4Ds-Tinubu Doctrine
Senator Iroegbu
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described as false a report claiming that Nigeria’s bid to be elected to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHCR) was rejected.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alkasim Abdulkadir. He said that a national daily had on October 26, 2023, published an article entitled “Nigeria’s Rejection at the UNHRC” in which it was erroneously reported that Nigeria’s bid to be elected to the Council was rejected while newer African countries were admitted into the UN agency.
Abdulkadid said the editorial Jac read in part; “ANOTHER indicator that Nigeria is not exactly smelling of roses on the global stage emerged on October 14, 2023, when we lost out in our bid to secure a seat at the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Council, UNHRC. Nigeria got only three votes, while fellow African nations like Ghana, Malawi, and Cote d’Ivoire amassed 197, 182, and 181 respectively as new members.”
Debunking this report, he claimed the “editorial was published in bad faith with several inaccuracies, misrepresenting the context and position of the country.
The fact of the matter is the Mission in New York, is the host of campaigns and elections of Member States to the UN Human Rights Council, though the Human Rights Council is domiciled in Geneva, it was their responsibility to inform the Office of the Spokesperson of UNHRC the true position of things which is that Nigeria never contested the election in the first instance, and we were not even on the ballot.”
The Minister’s Spokesperson stressed that Nigeria had earlier signified interest to contest but later pulled out to allow Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to vie for the two seats allocated to West Africa for consensus, and to ensure we have a clean slate in ECOWAS. The government of Nigeria has signified interests to contest next year, to occupy the vacant position that would be available when Senegal completes its second term on the Council.
Abdulkadir further disclosed that Nigeria’s candidature will be pursued in Geneva and other proper channels will be followed including -IOD, New York, and Addis Ababa will also be diligently informed of this development.
To this end, he urged that “journalists and media establishments should adhere to the tenets of journalism and stick to facts instead of misinforming and misinforming the public. The media owes citizens the responsibility to provide them with factual information. “
Minister, stakeholders, set a 4-year strategic vision to reposition MFA
In a related development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the leadership of Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar is putting measures to achieve the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to Abdulkadir, the Ministry’s strategic vision and operations are driven by the 4D foreign policy strategy which is hinged on Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora as pillars for the actualization of sustainable development. He said these were reviewed and articulated during a policy retreat organized by the Ministry recently in Abuja.
The well-attended retreat was held at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja. It had in attendance, the Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, and the Chair House Committee on Foreign Affairs Honorable Abdulmuminu Jibril. In attendance was also Ambassador Olusola Enikanolaiye the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, amongst several serving and retired diplomats.
The Minister’s Spokesperson said that to realize the noble vision of the 4D foreign policy vision, the Ministry has evolved a set of priorities with specific objectives and outcomes to be attained between 2023-2027.
He stated: “These priorities serve as the yardstick for the Ministry’s operations for the next four years. The priority areas are grouped into five key focus areas including: Inclusivity, Economic Growth and Job Creation, Security, Fairness and Rule of Law, and Anti-corruption stance. The priority area is focused on harnessing and leveraging the potential of the diaspora to strengthen Nigeria’s economic diversity, the second priority area is focused on promoting Nigeria’s visibility and relevance at the global level, priority three is focused on promoting national, and regional and global peace and stability, the fourth priority area is focused on strengthening democratic governance in West African and Africa, and the fifth priority area is focused on reforming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for effective service delivery.”
According to him, the retreat brought together top diplomats in the country who in the past had served Nigeria meritoriously; Amb Joe Keshi, Amb Martins Uhomoibhi, Amb Bulus Lolo, and Amb Usman Sarki. Also amongst the stakeholders were heads of agencies under the Ministry, Honorable Yakubu Buba of DTAC.
Tuggar, he noted, also expressed his trust in the unalloyed commitment of the Ministry’s staff to drive the actualization of President Tinubu’s vision for a renewed and efficient Ministry of Foreign Affairs in tune with the dynamic state of diplomacy and current realities that is proactive and responsive to the needs of Nigerians all over the world.
In his closing remarks the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amb Adamu Ibrahim Lamua said Nigerians should expect nothing short of efficient service delivery from the Ministry under the current administration in line with the renewed Hope agenda of the President.