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Nigeria to review foreign policy
Uche Aneke, Abuja
Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan has directed a review of Nigeria’s foreign policy, to reflect current realities, after 50 years of independence.
President Jonathan gave the directive during a breakfast meeting with the Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations at State House, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
He stressed that after fifty years of independence, it was time to review the country’s foreign policy, in line with modern realities and international developments.
President Jonathan agreed with Ambassador Emeka Anyaoku, Chairman of the Advisory Council, that the highly successful, transparent and credible elections conducted by Nigeria had elevated the country’s democratic credentials in the international community, noting that he would ensure even better elections in 2015.
The President expressed appreciation to members of the Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations for their consistent credible advice, and for congratulating him for his victory in the world-acclaimed national elections.
Earlier, Ambassador Emeka Anyaoku congratulated President Jonathan for his success in the elections, and for delivering on his promise to conduct credible elections.
The Council offered suggestions on several areas of national and international interest to Nigeria.
Strengthening economy
Meanwhile President Goodluck Jonathan said his Administration would pay special attention to the strengthening of economic relations with the international community.
While speaking with five new ambassadors at the presentation of their letters of credence, President Jonathan said that in the next four years, he would pay special attention to the improvement and strengthening of economic ties with Nigeria's partners in the international community, as a foundation for stability and growth.
The new ambassadors are Mr. Nyahuma Mentuhotep Obika of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Alvaro Castillo Aguilar of Spain, Mr. Ali Abdo Suleiman of Ethiopia, Mr. Alain Aime Nyamitwe of Burundi and Mr. Issa Ibrahim of Chad.
President Jonathan told Mr. Obika that Nigeria was interested in cooperation in the oil and gas sector, while he welcomed the proposal for energy cooperation by Mr. Aguilar.
All the new ambassadors congratulated President Jonathan for winning a well-conducted national election and assured him of the cooperation and support of their individual countries in the efforts to strengthen economic, social and cultural relations.
Poor foreign mission funding
The Nigerian Senate committee on Foreign Affairs has decried the poor funding of Nigeria foreign missions more important the South African embassy.
The Chairman of the Committee, Professor Jubril Aminu made the observation after a review of activities and a tour of the mission by his committee.
He said the allocation to the Nigerian Mission in South Africa was grossly inadequate for the enormous responsibility it is expected to meet in the three countries under its jurisdiction.
The committee said it was not right to give the Consular office in Johannesburg which is an arm of the mission in Pretoria a higher allocation than the High Commission office in the same country.
Williams
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