By Eteteonline
New life and a sense of mission
One of the factors that projects the greatness or weakness of a country is its foreign policy. Foreign policy plays a crucial role in determining the status, influence, or respect that a country commands in the comity of nations. No country in the world is an island or can exist or survive on its own without any form of dependence on others. The foreign policy adopted by a nation defines its goals and relationship with other countries of the world.
Since independence, Nigeria has pursued a passive foreign policy, which has rendered it very inactive in the international community. Nigeria’s foreign policy was misdirected and lacked a clear definition, and was characterized by obsolete theories, misguided ideologies, and misplaced priorities.
The Babangida administration, however, came to the rescue. The silent revolution was extended to the nation’s foreign policy by injecting new life and a sense of purpose into its approach. Africa has been and continues to remain the centerpiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy. This was made more purposeful with a new sense of direction by the administration. The policy promoted and projected the course of the African people with a view to having a fair share of global resources, attention, and sympathy for Africa’s numerous political and economic problems.
Africa as a centerpiece
Nigeria maintained good relations with its neighbours even in the heat of provocation. Joint commissions were established to reduce friction and tension along the borders and promote security and cooperation. Liberation movements across the continent, especially in southern Africa, continued to enjoy the immense support of the administration. The African National Congress (ANC), the Pan African Congress (PAC), and the South West Africa Peoples Organization (SWAPO), among others, were always grateful to the administration. Before the independence of Namibia, the Babangida administration rendered substantial support to SWAPO’s liberation struggle under the chairmanship of Sam Nujoma, who became the President of Namibia, including a nationwide launch of N100 million aid. Their efforts paid off when Nigeria witnessed the independence of Namibia, and SWAPO won the general elections.
The Frontline States, as they were called, also received substantial support from the Babangida administration. When the Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movements held their 8th Summit in Harare in September 1986, President Babangida proposed a stockpile of strategic relief materials for the benefit of the Frontline States. President Babangida said, “It was also agreed on my proposal that a solidarity fund for Southern African States should be established to reduce economic dependence on South Africa.”
Apart from the support for the ANC, PAC, and the Frontline States, Nigeria intensified the campaign for the elimination of Apartheid in South Africa through the UN, OAU, and other international organizations. The government of Nigeria, however, recognized the reforms in South Africa and offered to assist in negotiations towards a non-racial and democratic majority rule. Nigeria encouraged dialogue among all racial groups in that country. This was demonstrated in 1991 when President Ibrahim Babangida received the South African President Frederic De Klerk in Abuja in his capacity as the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Nigeria and indeed Africa appreciated and encouraged the reforms, President Babangida stated. He demonstrated this by conceding to the lifting of the sporting embargo on South Africa and allowing that country’s team to play with its Nigerian counterpart in a World Cup qualifying match.
Nigeria, under President Babangida, fulfilled its commitments to international organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Organization of African Unity, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Non-Aligned movements, and the United Nations. The resuscitation of the Pan African Movement was also contemplated.
The Babangida administration contributed to the realization of the goals of ECOWAS in the areas of peacekeeping and peacemaking, economic integration, and political stability. The administration was committed to peace in the subregion because it was only under a peaceful atmosphere that meaningful development and integration could be achieved. The Economic Community Monitoring Group, ECOMOG, the military wing of the ECOWAS Mediation Committee, was the brainchild of Nigeria. ECOMCG, which was endorsed by the Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS, the UN, and the entire international Community, had been commended and widely acclaimed as the best thing to happen to the West African subregion.
ECOMOG was engaged in a peace mission in Liberia, one of the oldest colonies in Africa. ECOMOG’s essentially humanitarian intervention succeeded in separating the warring factions who were engaged in massacres, crimes against humanity, and all forms of atrocities against defenceless civilians. The actions of the warring parties created humanitarian and refugee crises and posed a great and incalculable threat to peace and stability of the entire West African subregion. The humanitarian intervention led by Nigeria and aimed at restoring peace and democracy in Liberia had been described as novel and one of the greatest developments in Africa. The United States had initiated a similar humanitarian intervention in Somalia.
In the area of economic integration, Nigeria had already achieved a lot. According to President Babangida:
“Nigeria’s membership of ECOWAS, of which we are one of the founding fathers, derives from a felt need to reach out to all the Countries in the sub-region, in order to promote friendship, understanding, and cooperation as an important part of Nigeria’s contribution to the process of peace and stability in Africa.
“Obviously, any integration process takes some time to achieve all its goals and objectives.
“ECOWAS cannot be the exception; suffice it to say that my colleagues and I have repeatedly made it clear that we are committed to promoting the ideals of the founding fathers. Already, functional co-operation exists in some areas; Others are coming along alright. Above all, mutual understanding, across language lines, is growing.”
President Babangida’s commitment and performance as the Chairman of ECOWAS earned him three terms in office.
Apart from the moral and financial assistance that Nigeria gave to other African countries, it also established the Technical Aid Corps scheme (TACS) as a mechanism for foreign assistance. As a mechanism for promoting Nigeria’s foreign policy goals, the scheme was intended to be of mutual benefit. Any African country that needed the technical aid was expected to request it. The Babangida administration, which established the scheme, had lived up to its expectations as the giant of Africa.
Nigeria, under the leadership of General Babangida, also lobbied hard to secure international appointments in world bodies for Nigerians and indeed Africans. Major-General Joseph Garba, the nation’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, became the President of the General Assembly before he retired from the world body. As a result of the administration’s initiative and lobbying power, Nigeria’s Chief Emeka Anyaoku was elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in a very tight contest.
When Nigeria’s Dr Elias of the International Court of Justice in the Hague died, it was apparent that the post would be contested by qualified candidates from all parts of the world. But when the contest started, the Babangida administration demonstrated its ingenuity again, and Nigeria’s Prince Bola Ajibola was endorsed, making him the third Nigerian to sit on the World Court after the late Dr Elias and Justice Dadi Onyeama.
Nigeria was also committed to the success of the OAU in all ramifications. President Babangida’s term as the OAU Chairman was remarked to be very fruitful. His speech to the UN General Assembly in 1991 was unique, and the driving force behind it was unprecedented. He took the world by storm. Before the speech to the UN in New York, the President had been a strong advocate of an African Secretary-General of the UN. Nigeria nominated a candidate for that position alongside five African countries.
In his speech before the UN, however, President Babangida did not support any particular African candidate. Rather, he made a case for all of them. He called on the UN to be just, reiterating that Africa had been committed to the world body since its inception. His argument centred on competence and justice, insisting that Africa had very competent hands and was prepared to give the world her best. The world should apply a proper sense of justice in considering the appointment of a new Secretary-General, the President submitted.
Another very important aspect of Nigeria’s foreign policy under the Babangida administration was the concept of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries in line with the Charter of the UN, OAU, and other international organizations. The administration always believed in the ability and right of all countries to solve their internal problems without undue interference from outside. Thus, the attempt by some foreign countries to dictate to Nigeria was highly resisted. Nigeria was no longer a colony, President Babangida reminded them, but an independent sovereign nation quite capable of solving its internal problems its own way.
The unique and leading role played by the Babangida administration in African affairs and development was further reaffirmed when President Babangida addressed the second African and African-American Conference in Libreville, Gabon, on May 27, 1993. The President called on African-Americans to constitute themselves into an effective lobby group to fight for the interests of Africa. They could assist in the lobby for debt relief for African countries, he said. President Babangida referred to the existence of similar lobby groups like those of Jewish-Americans, Arab-Americans, and Asian-Americans, all working for the good and progress of their countries of origin.
The President also called for investment in Africa by African Americans to assist in developing the economic potential of Africa. He criticized the industrialized Western nations for not paying adequate attention to African countries despite the introduction of democracy and deregulation of their economies, as they do to Eastern Europe. It was therefore time for the African Countries to unite and develop their resources. President Babangida also commended the American President, Bill Clinton, for appointing many African-Americans to top government posts.
In his response, a prominent African-American, Reverend Jesse Jackson, commended Nigeria and, in particular, President Babangida for entrenching democracy in Nigeria. Also responding, another prominent African-American, head of the International Foundation for Self-help, announced about one hundred million dollars in aid for Nigeria. The money will be used for social programmes.
Democratization of the UN
President Babangida also called for the democratization of the UN in line with current thinking and international development. Expansion of membership of the Security Council was quite relevant in that regard, and limiting the permanent membership to just five had become “anachronistic and unrepresentative,” he asserted. President Babangida said further that:
“The logic of democracy cannot be confined within the borders of individual states, but must of necessity apply to the operation of international organizations.
“It is, therefore, our considered opinion that there is a need to expand the membership of the Security Council and to admit additional permanent members representing all regions of the world.”
African debt burden
The economic tragedy in Africa was equally addressed squarely. Continuing to ignore the problem was not auguring well for international peace and security, the Nigerian President warned. According to him;
“The division of the world into a rich minority and a poor majority poses a threat to international peace and security. In the recent past, the world has seen the end of certain rigidities in international political relations. This has given us all new hope. Let us also eliminate the rigidities in international economic and financial relations.”
President Babangida remarked further that the debt problem had been the burden that had slowed down economic, political, and democratic progress in Africa. If Africa were to contribute anything meaningful to world development, a decisive action in that direction was necessary. The debt burden remained the only obstacle to development in Africa and a central element of Africa’s critical economic situations. Africa might not achieve genuine democracy unless it is relieved of the huge debt burden. This was because a sound economy was synonymous with true democracy, Babangida said.
As a panacea, he called for urgent forgiveness of debt owed by African countries, especially those that embarked on genuine economic reforms. “Let us consider the idea of debt forgiveness for credible and sustained structural adjustment programmes,” the President concluded.
International debt repayment, conversion, cancellation, or rescheduling had been top on the agenda of the administration, and it had made significant progress in this direction. Nigeria committed a substantial part of its budget for servicing external debt, while rescheduling and conversion had been successfully negotiated in some aspects.
Appointment of Boutros Boutros-Ghali
The President’s speech to the UN has since produced a number of results. In one of the biggest contests of the century on who should succeed the retiring Secretary-General of the UN, Perez De Cuellar, the campaign for African candidates intensified. At the end of it all, even though the Nigerian candidate did not win, an African eventually emerged as the new Secretary-General. He was the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
The Campaign for the democratization of the UN also gathered momentum. Other countries and world leaders joined Nigeria in the call. In a major policy speech to the UN, the Secretary-General Dr Boutros-Ghali also emphasized this point. The permanent seat in the Security Council should be enlarged, in which Nigeria, the most important black country in the world, would be included. Japan, Germany, India, and Brazil were other favourites. These countries had joined Nigeria in the campaign for the democratization of the UN Security Council to make it more relevant and responsive to its international responsibilities.
The Nigerian President told the UN of the desire of Africa to develop, which had led to the signing of the treaty establishing the African Economic Community. Earlier in Abuja, during the Summit of the OAU, the leaders of the organization took a decision to bring about an economic integration of the continent.
Active contribution to global peace
The Babangida administration took a very active part in the work of the UN to merit a permanent seat in the Security Council. Apart from living up to her financial responsibilities, Nigeria’s permanent representative at the UN had repeatedly been elected as the head of the UN Committee for Action against Apartheid. Nigeria had also taken a very active role in the peacekeeping operations of the UN. She had hundreds of troops around troubled spots of the world under the UN mandate to assist in peacekeeping. Nigeria had troops in Cambodia, the former Yugoslavia, and Somalia, to mention a few. In 1993, the performance of the Nigerian police contingent received special commendation from the UN for its role in bringing peace and democracy to Cambodia. Nigeria was praised for its commitment to world peace.
The effort of the Babangida administration to bring about peace to troubled parts of the world did not stop at its activities in the UN. Apart from her commitment to peace in Liberia, Nigeria also mediated in peace talks between the Sudanese Government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) that had been engaged in a bloody civil war since 1983. Togo had also called on Nigeria to mediate in the crisis between the Government and the opposition parties and help reduce tension along its border with Ghana.
Restoration of diplomatic relations with Israel
On the diplomatic front and what many saw as a diplomatic offensive, Nigeria reestablished diplomatic relations with Israel. Relations with that country were severed in 1973 when she engaged Egypt, an African country, in a war and occupied a large part of Egyptian territory. However, in 1977, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty and normalized relations. As Nigeria and Israel still maintained informal trade links, and many Israeli companies were involved in civil engineering projects in Nigeria, strained relations between them no longer served any useful purpose.
Moreover, the condition that led to the break in diplomatic relations no longer existed. Normal relations would lead to greater cooperation, increased trade, and other benefits from the agricultural expertise of Israel. Announcing the normalization or resumption of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Israel, President Babangida said that Nigeria, as the most important black nation in the world, must continue to be relevant in world affairs. The two countries had since exchanged ambassadors.
Harassment of Nigerians abroad has been a source of concern to everyone. The administration reiterated its commitment to protect Nigerians anywhere in the world. Accordingly, she took up the allegations of harassment, intimidation, and ill-treatment with the respective countries involved.
The war against drug trafficking and the improvement of Nigeria’s image abroad were priorities for the administration. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was established to combat drug trafficking and change the orientation of the people about hard drugs. With the support of the government, the Agency made significant progress in the fight against illicit drug use and trafficking. On its part, the government put in place deterrent measures like tough sentences, trying ex-convicts who return to Nigeria again, and an embarrassing publication of their photographs in Nigerian newspapers. Consequently, all these measures led to a significant drop in drug trafficking. General Babangida set a new standard and precedent for worldwide cooperation in combating drug trafficking.
Foreign policy scorecard
There is no doubt that the administration scored several successes in its foreign policy initiatives. In an interview with Giant Strides, the former External Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, said:
“The anticipatory approach to foreign policy by this Administration derives from its determination to set the pace and, at the same time, influence the outcome of events that are of vital importance to the nation. Another guiding principle is the Administration’s commitment to an open and consultative style in decision-making.
An effective foreign policy rests on a solid domestic consensus. It is in this light that we have willingly subjected our foreign policy to the scrutiny of public opinion. The All-Nigeria Conference on Foreign Policy was held at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, in April 1986, and attracted over 400 participants from all states of our society.”
In relation to foreign affairs, “This Administration surpasses any other in the evolution of new ideas…” One of the new ideas was the concert of Medium Powers, otherwise called the Lagos Forum. This concept was aimed at bringing Nigeria into focus not only as an African Power but also as a World Medium Power.
The dynamism of the foreign policy of the Babangida administration was commended in all quarters. A professor of international law saw the successes of the foreign policy as:
“The greatest thing to happen not only to Nigeria but to the whole of Africa. The policy has succeeded in creating a unique place for Nigeria in the new world order. Her ability to influence and reshape world opinion reaffirms her status as the Giant of Africa. She has been very committed to world peace and worked tirelessly to bring about stability and security in the West African sub-region!’
“An expert in international relations described Nigeria’s foreign policy under President Babangida as unprecedented and superb. One characterized by a sense of purpose, mission, and fulfilment, he maintained that the elections of Chief Anyaoku of Nigeria and Dr Ghali of Egypt were a clear recognition of the potential that abounds in the continent. Nigeria, under President Babangida, had broken the vicious cycle of an inferiority complex that had plagued the continent over the years. She had campaigned for economic integration, political liberalization, and social justice in the African continent.
Add comment