8TH TICAD SUMMIT: Nigeria Calls for Expansion of Security Cooperation/ Operations Between Africa and Japan

Foreign Desk

Nigeria has called for the expansion of security cooperation and operations between Africa and Japan, within the framework of the New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), and for Africa to benefit from the use of Japanese technology in the fight against insurgencies on the continent.

Buhari further noted that over the past few years, member countries have witnessed a number of events that have affected the peace and security of the various continents, in particular, Africa.

These events, according to the Nigerian leader include the Climate Change and global warming, which led to the shrinking of Lakes and rivers including the Lake Chad; rising water levels in some areas has resulted in displacement of whole communities from their natural abode, compounding as it were, the Humanitarian crisis in the continent.

The President further noted that the Global COVID-19 pandemic also exposed the vulnerability of the health and rapid response systems, stressing that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has weakened and continues to threaten world food security. Buhari also harped on the security challenges confronting Africa.

His words: “As if all that were not enough, Africa is confronted with violent extremism and terrorist attacks in all the regions of the continent. This is further exacerbated by the rise of unconstitutional changes of governments in some parts of the continent. Thus, the development and growth of the African continent is increasingly being seriously challenged by insecurity.

In Nigeria for instance, the activities of terrorists, bandits and kidnappers have led to the displacement of several communities, disrupting the productive activities of our people.

“Undoubtedly, pesmace and development are two sides of the same coin. Peace is needed to engender development and provide necessary infrastructural requirements for our countries.

In other words, strengthening peace and stability is a prerequisite for development.

It is in this regard, that I wish to use this opportunity to appreciate the efforts of the Japanese and other partners in supporting ongoing efforts aimed at improving maritime and border security. Your Excellencies, Africa needs to pave the way for lasting peace and stability in the entire continent.

To achieve this, there is an urgent need to upscale our peace and security Architecture (APSA) needs all the support it can attract from our development partners including Japan”.

Buhari further urged that the various security mechanisms supported by the African Union such as the MNJTF, the G5 Sahel and the African Standby Force all need to be recalibrated to meet the current objective of definitively eliminating violent extremism, terrorism and banditry from the continent.

He also stated: “It is our desire that the 8th TICAD Summit will rise to the occasion by expanding the security cooperation and operations between Africa and Japan, within the framework of the New Approach for the Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), and for Africa to benefit from the use of Japanese technology in the fight against insurgencies in the continent “.

The President also expressed the gratitude of Nigeria to the Japanese Government for the support it has continued to extend to Nigeria in different areas of partnership especially through the Japanes International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

According to him, TICAD has continued to provide a constructive platform for strategic partnership between Africa and Japan for development cooperation.