Nigeria Set To Overhaul Foreign Policy

Nigeria is set to overhaul its foreign policy framework to align more closely with global best practices, the National Assembly has revealed.

Speaking after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja yesterday, Senate Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Senator Abubakar Bello, stated that Nigeria would soon witness major changes in its foreign policy as efforts are made to improve and modernise it.

He said the president had already taken steps to ensure that.

Bello, a former governor of Niger State, stated; “Essentially, we discussed our foreign policy and how to improve and have a robust clear foreign policy for the understanding of everyone and the benefit of Nigerians and Nigeria as a country.

“We strongly believe that necessary steps must be taken to improve the image of Nigeria and Nigerians on the international scene, and I am glad Mr. President has taken bold steps towards ensuring that.

“So, going forward in the coming months, hopefully, we’ll start seeing some changes with regard to our foreign policy that will be clear and well understood by all concerned to ensure that Nigeria and Nigerians are given the right place on the international scene.

“So, essentially, without waste of time, that is the reason we saw Mr. President today, and I think we had a very good meeting. And we agreed to join hands between the executive arm and the legislative arm to work together towards achieving these goals.”

Speaking specifically on how the changes will affect Africa as the centerpiece, Bello added: “You know, like I said, Mr. President is very much interested in changing dynamics of our foreign policy which has been, if you may call it for, for a while now, obsolete. There hasn’t been any major review in foreign policies.

“The time has come now to take the bold step towards working out some of our foreign policies to have them in line with best practices and to international standards.”