Experts alert on threats in Gulf of Guinea
From Oghogho Obayuwana, Abuja
AN alarm was yesterday raised by the Nigerian Society of International Affairs (NSIA) warning that the country lacks strategic presence in the Gulf of Guinea which habours tremendous sea bed resources.
This dangerous trend, according to NSIA allows foreign powers to penetrate the Gulf, creating a serious threat to national security and overall economic interests of the Federal Government.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the NSIA embodying the summaries of resolutions from it's just concluded conference, the foreign policy experts also called for a review of Nigeria's asylum policy and a more inclusive foreign policy formulation and implementation process to reflect the submissions of seasoned diplomats in the country.
In June this year, Nigerians woke up to the presence of a fleet of American ships in the gulf of Guinea. Although Information Minister Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu had allayed fears of any violation of the country's territorial intergrity, there were still criticism over the actions. Commander of the U.S. Air Force Gen Robert Fogelson assured that since the military ships were 200 kilometres off Nigeria's coastline, they represented no threats by international law.
But the statement, signed by the newly elected President of NSIA Prof. Onje Gye-Wado pointed out that it is the lack of strategic visibility in the gulf that will allow a foreign power engaging in military training to penetrate the region. Consequently, the NSIA recommended that: "As the Gulf of Guinea becomes increasingly strategic to Nigeria, a more purposeful policy within the sub-region is now needed, especially engaging in stronger collaboration with neighbouring countries".
The body also observed that:
- there is a wide gap between foreign policy think-tanks such as the NSIA, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) among others, in the formulation and implementation of the nation's foreign policy;
- Nigeria lacks a definite policy on asylum, which has been responsible for the level of controversy generated recently by the granting of asylum to some African leaders like (Charles Taylor, );
- the poor management of the economy has apparently constrained the pursuit of a vibrant and assertive foreign policy under the democratic dispensation; and that the porous nature of Nigeria's international borders has greatly inhibited effective control of cross-border crimes with obvious implications for national security and external relations.
The international relations experts further observed that the National Assembly "under the democratic dispensation, has not played the desired constitutional role in the formulation and implementation of Nigeria's foreign policy."
It also noted that the country's national interests should determine the kind of asylum policy acceptable, in order to avoid internal dissention which may arise over such decision in the future. The group added that the oversight capacity of the National Assembly in foreign policy can further be enhanced by patronising the pool of expertise that abounds in professional organisations like the universities, NSIA, NIPSS or NSIL.
