Nigeria opposes splitting AU’s Department of Political Affairs

By Salif Atojoko

The Federal Government has rejected the proposal to create a new department out of the existing African Union’s (AU) Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

President Bola Tinubu highlighted the country’s position in his statement presented by Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the consideration and deliberation on the AU reforms report in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday.

“We do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS) as the reconfiguration of the PAPS Department in the way currently suggested will only lead us to incur more expenditure needlessly.

“We already have a Support Operations Directorate under the Directorate of PAPS. We cannot have a Peace Support Operations Directorate independent of the Directorate of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

“We believe any attempt to create another department from the existing one will destabilise the AU political affairs and peace and security process.

“It is also important that issues that were never brought to the attention of Member States are not part of the reform,” President Tinubu said.

Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Nigerian diplomat, who heads the department was re-elected to another term at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, which ended Sunday.

The Nigerian government also said it supported the move to reform the AU, making it more vibrant, viable, and relevant to the needs of member states in the face of rapidly changing global political and economic realities.

President Tinubu commended his Rwanda and Kenya counterparts, Paul Kagame and Williams Ruto, for the reform proposals.

Tinubu acknowledged the recommendations outlined in the draft decision on the AU reform.

He said the Nigerian government supported the proposal to establish a Heads of State and Government oversight Committee for the AU Reforms under President Ruto’s leadership.

However, on the need for inclusiveness and transparency as an integral part of the reform of the AU system, Tinubu said the continental organisation should instead focus on implementing adopted policies and programmes.

“It is in this connection that Nigeria wishes to reiterate that instead of seeking to reach consensus on all fronts of our reform at one sweep, we should concentrate on areas where we have already reached consensus.

“There is no harm in carrying out reform in phases. It would be an error to continue seeking consultation on all fronts in perpetuity,” he said.

He said Nigeria would continue to support the reform process as long as it remained transparent and inclusive and did not needlessly destabilise the status quo. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma