Onyeama calls for national interest for foreign policy formulation

Mr.-Geoffrey-Onyeama

Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, on Thursday, stressed the need for national interest and use of tourism as an instrument for effective foreign policy formulation and implementation.

Onyeama, represented by Amb. Olusegun Iginla, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, said this at the 2018 overview of Nigerian foreign policy that started April 9, to May 4, in Abuja.

The forum was organised by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for participants of the Policy Strategy and Leadership Course (PSLC), National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru.

He said that the call for national interest and the use of tourism had become imperative because both drive foreign policy as reflection and projection of domestic environment plan.

Onyeama said “the determining factor in foreign policy formulation and implementation of any country is the promotion and pursuit of national interest.

“National interest constitutes promotion of core national values of a state, it can either be operational values or aspirations.

“Tourism is also accorded a pride of place; the significance of tourism in international relations is more often overlooked.

“However, the potentials of Nigeria’s tourism sector remains generally untapped compared to other sister African Countries that records a higher number of visitors annually.

“Yet, Nigeria is replete with a rich, diverse and untouched natural beauty, lots of carnivals, durbars and wildlife parks across the country.”

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He identified terrorism, climate change, irregular migration, human and drug trafficking, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, to be global issues that hinder nation building.

According to Onyeama, Nigeria is part of the global community and therefore just like many other countries, faced with domestic, continental and global challenges.

He said although Nigeria’s status and international image has been portrayed as bad, it should not affect the goodwill, friendship and partnership the country enjoys among comity of nations.

He decried the practice by a section of the media to highlight Nigeria’s weakness and perceived failures of government.

He, however, assured that government would remain focused on its commitment to deliver on its programmes.

Speaking, the Chief Consultant of PSLC, Mrs Sandra Agbor, said that the discussion was targeted at knowledge sharing and experiences on leadership to ensure sustainable development.

According to him, the idea is for the participants to gain ground knowledge on policy formulation and implementation.

Meanwhile, Team leader of the Participants, Mr Asipita Umaru, that the ministry for organising the course.

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