Tuesday, 24th June 2014...
Conference resumed sitting at 9:10 am, presided over by the Chairman – the chairman always presides the morning session while the deputy chair takes over during the afternoon session when adopting amendments of committee reports since deliberation on committee reports started.
Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.
Announcement:
Attention of delegates was drawn to the fatal bomb blast that occurred in Kano state the previous day, we observed a minute silence for the victims of the blast and resolved to send a letter of condolence to the federal government, the government and people of Kano state and the families of the victims of the blast.
The deputy chair announced a Christian prayer and memorial holy mass will be held for late Prof (Dr) Dora AKunyili on that day, giving the venue and time.
The committee on foreign policy and diaspora matters presented their report.
The committee chairman Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari presented the report of the committee in a diplomatic and educating way, the deputy chair of the committee was Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu.
The report received praises by delegates and it seem to be the most less controversial committee report the conference has received so far.
Some of the recommendations and additional recommendations made by delegates were;
- Foreign markets for Nigerian goods and products should be encouraged from two perspectives which includes; seeking foreign investment whilst exploring markets for locally produced goods.
- Voting by Nigerians in Diaspora by 2015 was also adopted – are we ready really?
- Having lost the ownership of Bakassi Peninsula through the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the federal government was requested to come up with a policy of resettlement of Bakassi indigenes.
- Delegates however turned down a proposal that Nigeria should review the Green Tree Agreement it entered in respect of the ICJ ruling on Bakkasi Peninsula with a view to reclaiming the ceded portion of the country’s territory.
Delegates resolved that government should promote discipline within the Economic Community of West African States through sanctions for violations and rewards for team players.
- There should be a clearly defined operational agenda to guide the implementation of the nation’s foreign policy goals and objectives at four critical levels: Lake Chad Basin Commission; West Africa (ECOWAS), Africa (Africa Union/ECA) and the world at large (United Nations and other fora).
- Conference resolved, the need to use its position to encourage the establishment of what it calls ECOWAS Brigade Standing Force, to ensure better economic transactions within the West African sub-region through promotion of trade and investment, Nigeria should work towards early introduction of a single currency in ECOWAS
- National Assembly to be encouraged to conclude its work on the Bill to create Diaspora Commission so that the president can give his assent.
The commission is to facilitate the engagement and accrual of full benefits including social capital remittances in the form of knowledge and experience and other dynamic benefits from millions of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
- Nigerians in the Diaspora should be included in all relevant state affairs depending on their knowledge and expertise for the development of the nation and not only for cash remittances purposes.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recommended to develop and publish travel guides as is being done by other countries.
- As part of the country's duty to protect and defend the interest of its nationals wherever they are, including Nigerians serving prison terms in foreign countries, it was proposed that prisoners exchange between Nigeria and any other country should be on equal terms.
In carrying out the prisoner’s exchange, emphasis should be made on the necessity to fully screen any prisoner who purports to be a Nigerian before any prisoner exchange is undertaken. This is to guard against cases of foreign convicts bearing Nigerian passports in foreign jails.
- Call for curtailment of the excesses of first ladies and politicians who frivolously use diplomats abroad for unofficial purposes thereby distracting them from concentrating on their official duties.
- Federal government should regulate donations by foreign agencies to Nigerian Non-Governmental Organizations
The creation of an agency for External Aid that will coordinate all aid giving processes in the country was also part of the conference proposal. The agency which would be a parastatal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would have representatives from the Ministries of Finance, National Planning, Defence, Trade and Industry, Justice as well as Central Bank on its board.
- Nigeria should make the teaching of French language compulsory in Primary and secondary schools, strategic foreign policy directive.
- The Nigerian passport should be renewed every ten (10) years instead of the current fiver (5) years.
- Participation in peacekeeping operations should be seen as an important foreign policy tool, an avenue to build good will for Nigeria, and international relation strategy and a means to increase both capacity and professionalism of the Nigeria policemen and the armed forces, promote Nigeria's economic interests and the police. Every effort must be made to do it right.
The committee on foreign policy report was adopted as amended.
We adjourned at 5:42 pm – rare early closure to resume the following day 9:00am…..
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