Former Nigerian External Affairs Minister, Bolaji Akinyemi, has emphasised the need for Nigeria to fill its vacant ambassadorial positions with credible candidates as soon as possible.
Ambassador Akinyemi made the call during an interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” programme on Friday saying it will help to boost diplomacy.
Akinyemi highlighted the importance of prompt appointments to these positions.
He also stressed that despite the availability of information through the internet, diplomacy still relied heavily on personal contact between ambassadors and governments.
“The absence of ambassadors does not deny us information. But diplomacy runs on ambassadorial contact, the interaction between governments and ambassadors,” he noted.
Akinyemi also highlighted the need for Nigeria to draw global attention to the issue of insurgency, describing it as a global problem that requires international support.
“Nigeria deserves the support of world leaders. Insurgency is not a domestic affair,” he said.
He linked the crisis in Nigeria to global interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, which he said worsened extremism in Africa.
The former minister warned against the unchecked exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources, citing the example of the Democratic Republic of Congo where multinational companies benefited at the expense of national interests.
“We must control the presence and exploitation of earth materials. If we fail, we have ourselves to blame,” he said.
Akinyemi faulted President Bola Tinubu’s decision to delegate Vice President Kashim Shettima to the UN General Assembly, arguing that Tinubu himself should have addressed world leaders.
“I don’t think we need to make much ado about the absence of President Tinubu. He (Tinubu) is more interested in transactional foreign policy that will bring in investment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, discussing Nigeria’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat, climate change, artificial intelligence, and development.
Shettima urged the UN to support Nigeria’s quest for permanent membership, emphasising the country’s determination to secure a permanent position on the Council.
He also called for sweeping UN reforms, warning that the organization risks irrelevance if it fails to adapt.
