Nigeria’s Foremost institutional reformer, Jonah Ubanmhen, has advocated for a new value-oriented diplomacy system, after years of the previous administration’s diplomacy, which tended towards isolationism.
This point was made at a colloquium of experts on charting a new foreign policy for the new Administration.
The Session stated that the Nation’s Foreign Policy should be able to transform the Country to a place where her citizens can prosper under an approach that respects diversity.
In recent times, there has been a growing number of prominent Nigerians rallying around the idea that to solve the Nation’s foreign policy concerns, Nigeria must consider a top-down approach. “There’s been one overt attempts to use foreign policy as a tool for domestic economic growth and create global confidence in Nigeria’s economy. There must be a significant shift in the way Nigeria is engaging the world” said Jonah.
He added that the focus should essentially be on promoting value-oriented diplomacy. He noted that the threat Nigeria faces continues to evolve and new strategies are needed to deal with these challenges. One of these new strategies is the adoption of a Nigeria Exchange and Broadcast program, that will enable Nigeria to have a clear and long-term vision.”
As an Institutional Reformer, Jonah advocates that Nigeria makes a decisive shift in foreign policy a hallmark of her new administration to promote what he refers to as “ a new era aimed at aggressively countering Nigeria isolation in places where she need friends and sustainable development”.
Jonah speaks of the need to expand partnership beyond the small club of rich democracies to a group of developing economies within and outside Africa, to guarantee a much desired spread-abroad support for a free and open value-oriented diplomacy, to aid peace and stability in Nigeria.”
The Institutional Reformer’s is in the firm view that this move will set the country on a new pedestal and diplomatic precedent for Nigeria, which for most of the decades has been content to be a follower rather than a leader in global affairs.
Jonah advocates that the change to a new foreign policy for the Country will showcase Nigeria’s new approach to foreign relations. “I want Nigeria to make large contributions to the peace and stability of the Global space through a new leaf in her diplomacy. However, neither diplomacy nor diplomatic language can be persuasive unless they are backed up by a working system that brings peace and sustainability to the Nigerian people.”
Jonah told the news media that “ Economy is not regional, economy is global, and economy is interconnected” noting that it is important to work more closely with partners who are rooted in our shared values and shared vision of free, peaceful and prosperous world.”
For Jonah, this new administration is a unique opportunity to start laying the foundations for that prosperous foreign policy driven by her huge diaspora population and the Nigeria Broadcast Exchange Programme. We must go beyond the framework of Africa and cooperate with the wilder world, including close alliances. “ No more watching from the sidelines. Nigeria can and should stand shoulder to shoulder with more developed Nations and allies and pursue “diplomacy with courage”.
