Jonathan Orders Critical Review Of Foreign Policy

[TGD]

 IN a bid to rework the driving force of Nigeria's Foreign Policy, President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a critical and comprehensive review by top Nigerian diplomats and former Foreign Affairs Ministers. The review is to be conducted this week, in Abuja

While the management of the new investment diplomacy announced last week at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will be part of the planned exercise, sources said it would also cover the whole gamut of Nigeria's foreign relations, including staffing, morale, standards and budget.

Under the auspices of the Presidential Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs, headed by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Jonathan is already inviting several former/ current ministers and envoys to a comprehensive foreign policy review forum beginning tomorrow.

Among those already confirmed to have contacted by Anyaoku to participate at the review are Chief Odein Ajumogobia, immediate past Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, incoming Finance Minister, Mr. Gbenga Ashiru, the new Foreign Affairs Minister, Nigeria's Ambassador to the US, Ade Adefuye, and his counterpart at the United Nations, Ambassador Joy Ogwu, among several others.

The meeting, which is billed to hold for four days — between August 1 and 4 —, in Abuja, is said to be an important review of the future direction of Nigeria's Foreign policy.

Sources say the review may develop far-reaching policy initiatives and implementation strategies for the president's consideration and approval.

The new Foreign Affairs Minister gave a hint last Wednesday at the end of the inaugural Federal Executive Council meeting that Nigeria's Foreign Policy would now be investment-driven, defining a new driving force as different from the previous focus on Africa.

Although this critical review is at the instance of President Jonathan, authoritative presidency sources confirmed that Anyaoku had been asked to coordinate the review as the president's most senior non-official adviser on Foreign Affairs.

Anyaoku, highly respected at home and abroad, is himself a former Foreign Affairs Minister and also former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The involvement of key envoys and former ministers is said to enable the review to gain from previous experiences and input of those individuals some of whom have also made efforts in the past to highlight a new sense of direction for Nigeria's Foreign policy goals.

Diplomats and observers say Nigeria's Foreign policy objectives and goals have been much focused on advancing Africa's continental aspirations in the past without sufficient attention paid to a commensurate economic returns, benefit and influence for the country.

But sources added that the insufficient rate of staffing of Nigeria's foreign missions in recent times have also contributed to the loss in influence and economic returns. Some important foreign missions are said to be so 'top-heavy' that there are more deputy director and director-ranked diplomats and fewer officers, who should be helping them.

Another source in the diplomatic circles revealed that, in some missions, when Ambassadors give out instructions, they do not get done in weeks, causing the nation the loss of respect and influence at different global levels.

There are also incidents of Nigeria missing out in important diplomatic meetings and not casting votes in several missions abroad.

Besides, sources reveal that some of these are caused by declining morale in many missions. For instance, among the more senior diplomatic ranks, the disproportionate naming of political ambassadors to man missions, with little or no diplomatic knowledge or experience rather than career and knowledgeable candidates is also being cited as a factor for the loss of morale.



The Guardian