Foreign policy to spur economic diplomacy

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan and his US counterpart, Barack Obama. Photo: USAfricaonline.com

Paul Arhewe

(Published January 6, 2012)

Foreign policies adopted by any countries have some reflections of internal happenings on homefronts. Nigeria’s foreign policy over the years has nosedived after the many decades of concentration on Africa. The interventions to restore peace in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the fight against apartheid in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola amid other missions of mediating in conflict prone countries like Gambia , Mali, Burkina Faso among others signify the height in foreign interventions in the 1990s. Since the last few years the country’s foreign relations have been tamed, mainly due to internally overwhelming problems associated with finding footings for our nascent democracy amid pressing economic malaise.

Last year, government charted a new path for the country’s foreign policy thrust, with the concentration to be on policy that promotes growth and national development. In this new policy both private partnership and foreign missions would be utilised as new vanguards and foot-soldiers in economic diplomacy.

Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, while throwing more light on the new paradigm shift emphasised that “We will redress existing imbalances and forge a strong partnership with organised private sector, OPS to assist economic growth. Consequently, members of OPS would frequently constitute part of any bilateral discussions between our governments and other foreign delegations, so that Nigeria can benefit from visits to and from other countries.”

“Our envoys would be directed to drive this new focus of our foreign policy by spending more time and effort on the attraction of foreign investments to Nigeria. Simply put, our ambassadors would be the foot-soldiers in this new approach for the purpose of achieving our Vision 20:2020 and bringing economic benefits to Nigeria.”

In 2012 the Nigerian government would really need to build a friendlier policy that would encourage more foreign investors to show interest in the country. Crude oil is a major cord that ties Nigerians to other energy consuming countries. Crisis stemming from militants attacks, which is ebbing due to the ongoing amnesty programme and bombings alongside other crises that have impeded the growth of the sector, the Nigeria government would need to work towards stabilising the free flow of the economy’s mainstay by minimizing events that would cause disruptions like the ongoing protests against subsidy removal.

Hence, in positioning the organised private sector and Nigerian foreign missions to contribute positively in making the country reap from this new foreign policy thrust, the confidence of foreign investors should be bolstered by ensuring their safety and availability of necessary infrastructure. For instance, constant power supply is germane for industrialisation growth. Secured environment free from terrorists’ bombings would go a long way in making our envoys and missions abroad to convince foreign investors.

Also, government would need to fight headlong the monstrous corruption that has eaten deep into every fibre of the countries sectors. Thus, it is necessary that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies like Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Public Complain Commission (PCC) are given free hand to carry out their functions to the extent which the constitution allows. Undermining and criticising their actions on regularly basis through frequent court injunctions and executive barriers would only portray the country to the outside world as unserious in the fight against corruption, thus hindering the new drive for direct foreign investments.

Furthermore, we know that Nigeria is not isolated from the comity of nations.

Hence, in 2012, the country’s foreign policy should strive to reflect emerging global challenges, including those new realities in Africa and the rest of the world.

These include the battle against global recession, rising wave of insecurity, climate change that has affected food production in some climes and caused negative changes in atmospheric conditions.

Hence, the country needs to strengthen and increase its participation in the international community through improved capacity building in the ministry of foreign affairs.

          Nigerian Foreign Minister Ambassador Ashiru welcomes US Ambassador Terence McCulley
during a courtesy call last year. Photo: US Embassy

Last year, the already tensed global environment put on more challenges for actors in the international scene; amid rising terrorist attacks, and wildfire protests that colourised the Arab spring saga. Three African governments; Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were toppled amid death toll running into thousands for the incidences combined. The African continent is still far from making much progress in its regional integration. Hence,

Nigeria as a key player, being one of the most populous and second largest economies would no doubt play more roles in the New Year to ensure Africa Union and other sub regional bodies like Economic Commission of West African states (ECOWAS) advance in making more peaceful resolutions to conflicts in order to avoid deadly clashes and confrontations.

While it is true that the country by now should be enjoying the benefits from the huge past sacrifices in human and material resources given to ensure peace reign in some African countries, the fact still remains that many other African countries still look upon Nigeria as the big brother, and we cannot totally deny this position despite our desire for economic vibrancy to which the new policy path leans.