On assumption of office, the president undertook some foreign trips both within and outside Africa to re-establish Nigeria’s position in the global arena and solicit support for Nigeria and Africa. Of course, Nigeria as the most populous black nation on earth is expected to play a leading role in global affairs. Mr. President embarked on strategic visits to France, South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and also attended the G7 summit which held in Germany.
During the trips, he canvassed for the support and understanding of world leaders for the three planks on which his administration came into office. They are fight against corruption, security and economy. The direct result of these foreign trips include the commitment of various countries to assist in the repatriation of stolen funds, war against terrorism and charting a new direction for the country’s economy.
It is a well-known fact that Africa is the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy. Mr. President ensured that Nigeria’s foreign policy derives from his domestic objectives already encapsulated above.
In realization of the need to secure Nigeria, and by extension the entire West African sub region, especially in those countries where Boko Haram had been carrying out attacks, President Buhari quickly embarked on shuttle diplomatic trips to Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Benin Republic.
He used the opportunities of those trips to galvanise their support in combating the menace of Boko Haram terrorists. Having rallied them, a multi-national joint task force was established and Nigeria committed funds towards facilitating their operations.
So far as the result of Mr. President’s efforts, the MNJTF along with the Nigerian Armed Forces have successfully degraded the terrorists. Presently they are unable to occupy territories or roam about maiming and killing people and destroying communities.
In the global arena, President Buhari has forcefully pushed the agenda for Nigeria’s recognition. At the United Nations, he threw Nigeria’s support for a Palestine State; while in his address at the European Union Parliament he successfully assailed the august body with the great potentials inherent in our country. He also used the opportunity to inform the global community that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.
Mr. President has also continued in his global shuttle diplomacy with a trip to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate, Kenya and China. During the trips, several bilateral agreements aimed at advancing Nigeria’s progress were signed. For example, a mutual legal agreement was signed between Nigeria and UAE on repatriation of looted funds, transfer of prisoners among others. In Saudi Arabia, he met with the Saudi King and canvassed the need for the kingdom to support OPEC’s policy on reducing oil output to the international market as a way of improving and stabilizing prices.
Mr. President also undertook a state visit to China and the inherent multi-dimensional benefits are beginning to manifest.
Generally speaking, it can be said that with President Muhammadu Buhari in the saddle, our foreign policy is being driven by his vision for a stable economy, curbing corruption, combating terrorism, and all these are being pursued within the context of Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s policy.
In order to promote improved bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, President Muhammadu Buhari embarked on a 4-day diplomatic cum business trip to China on 10th April 2016. The trip which included a high-level delegation was also aimed at securing the support of the Chinese government for Nigeria’s development. During the trip several bilateral agreements were signed in different sectors. Some of the accrued benefits include, agreements that were signed on various areas including solid minerals, power, transportation (railway and road infrastructure), housing sector, agriculture and establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state.
Other benefits that accrued from the trip included over $6 billion dollar in investments by the Chinese. The President also used the occasion of the visit to facilitate business deals between Nigerian business people and their Chinese counterparts. An agreement was also reached on the use of Chinese Yuan as a medium of exchange for businesses between China and Nigeria.
At the Anti-Corruption summit which held in London on 11th May, 2016 President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the forum and identified corruption as “one of the greatest enemies of our time”. He noted that corruption was central to the poverty ravaging people in Nigeria and other parts of the world. He therefore urged the international community to brace up to the challenge of tackling corruption head-on and to help repatriate Nigeria’s looted funds.
It is indeed remarkable that at the Anti-Corruption Summit London countries pledged to set up public registers of company ownership in a collective effort to stop laundering the proceeds of corruption around the world. Nigeria will be a direct beneficiary of this new approach and President Buhari pledged to inaugurate such public registers of true company ownership.
Again it a thing of joy that President Buhari has been acknowledged by world leaders as foremost Africa’s vibrant advocate of corruption-free society. Some of the leaders who have recognized his efforts in this regard include Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, UK Minister for International Development Nick Hurd and UNODC Executive Secretary Yuru Fedotov.
On July 17th, 2016 President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo at the 27th Ordinary Session of African Union (AU) from Saturday 16th to July 18th in Kigali, Rwanda. The Summit provided an opportunity for critical appraisal of the 20 billion dollar Nigeria- Algeria trans-Saharan gas pipeline project under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
The project when completed would transport about 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Warri through Niger Republic to Algeria. The Summit also focused on the full integration of the continent through the establishment of free trade area and the African Union passport.
The President also hosted a regional security summit which had such World and West African regional leaders like France, Mr. Francois Hollande, and British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond, US under Secretary of Secretary of State, Presidents of Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Benin Republic, Niger, and Ghana in attendance. The summit fashioned out a road map for the fight against insurgency in the Lake Chad region and drew the attention of the international community to the sorry state of things in the North East as a result of Boko Haram attacks.
As part of the renewed engagement between Nigeria and the United States in various areas, the United States Secretary of State Mr., John Kerry visited Nigeria on 23rd August, 2016 and pledged US support and commitment to the fight against Boko Haram by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. He also acknowledged Nigeria’s fight against corruption as a model for other African countries.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a determined bid to reposition Nigeria in the global arena also visited Nairobi Kenya to attend the 6th Tokyo International Conference for Africa’s development. The summit was co-organised by the governments of Japan, UN Office of Special Adviser on Africa, UNDP, AU and the World Bank. During the meeting there was a bilateral meeting between President Buhari and the Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Shinzo Abe and no fewer than 35 African leaders participated.
On account of President Buhari’s proactive leadership, the Islamic Development Bank management led by the president came visiting and the focus of the meeting was to facilitate investment to Nigeria and rebuilding of the North East.
On the whole it can be said that his leadership style has spurred significant interest particularly among African countries to the extent that African Central Banks met in Abuja in August 2016. The body also elected Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor as its president.
The climax of his diplomatic shuttles so far was the attendance of the 71st Session of The United Nations in New York, USA which held on 19th September, 2016. The meeting had the theme: Addressing Movements of Refugees and Migrants. The President addressed a high level plenary meeting of the body with President Obama of the United States and other world leaders in attendance.
President Buhari also met with the President of South Africa Mr. Jacob Zuma on the sidelines of the conference. Both leaders discussed issues of mutual concern especially as President Buhari sought the collaboration of businessmen from both countries in the areas of mining and agriculture. He agreed with his South African counterpart that such collaboration will greatly enhance economic and trade benefits between both leading African countries.
The high point of his engagement at the UN meeting was a parley with President Barack Obama of the United States where both leaders discussed bilateral issues with the US President pledging to offer assistance to Nigeria in agricultural development, recovery of stolen funds and the fight against Boko Haram. The US President also pledged to put a framework for sustained cooperation in partnerships between Nigeria and US even after he leaves office.
President Muhammadu Buhari also met with the Presidents of France Mr. Francois Hollande and Switzerland on the sideline of the UN conference, both of who pledged to heed Nigeria’s president clarion call for the return of looted funds.
Written by Chukwudi Enekwechi, a Journalist.
