AFRPN SET TO HOLD 5TH ANNUAL LECTURE AT ABUJA
Oru Leonard
the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN), has concluded plans to hold its fifth Annual Lecture on Thursday, 27th
July, 2023 at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
President of the Association, Amb. (Dr) Gani Lawal made this known during a press conference while briefing the media on the level their preparations today.
According to him, “The topic of the Lecture which is ‘Examining the Nexus between Foreign Policy Goals and Democratic Governance’, is carefully chosen to create an opportunity to listen to the perspectives of consummate diplomats and statesmen who had been for decades, in the forefront of governance and diplomacy and are still committed to the advocacy for peace, growth and economic development of Africa. There is no better time than now to dissect this topic when our country is just transiting from one democratic government to another.”
The lecture will be delivered by His Excellency, the former President of South Africa and the first commonwealth chairperson-in office. Mr Thabo Mbeki.
The chairman of the occasion is His Excellency Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Former Nigeria’s Foreign Minister and the third Commonwealth
Sec Gen. The Chief Host and Special Guest of Honour will be our 15th Vice
President, Senator Kashim Shettima Mustapha, GCON. While the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, will be the father of the day of the occasion.
He said that AFRPN is a society of foreign relations experts consisting of serving and retired career diplomats and ambassadors, scholars, and researchers on foreign policy and international relations.
“Its vision is to work with decision makers to make Nigeria and, by implication, Africa, a great player and respected voice within the international arena.
“As you are aware, foreign policy is an extension of internal policy dictated by
the vagaries of the external environment. It is crafted around what a nation wants and does not want on the basis of its national interests from the global stage.
It is often said that there is no permanent friend or enemy in the international
environment but permanent interest, and as national interests evolve, a friend
today can become an enemy tomorrow. It is expected that a nation will weave its
national interest around the weight of its Military industrial complex and natural
resources to earn a favourable comparable edge in the global intercourse.
“At present, the national interest of Nigeria is to build a strong economic base, fight insurgency and terrorism and decapitate the corruption monster. Therefore, finding resources to actualize these interests in the international arena remains the cornerstone of Nigeria foreign policy goals.
“Democratic governance offers the best approach to pursue these foreign policy
goals. The maxim that foreign policy is an extension of internal policy is better
illustrated by Nigeria’s insistence on zero tolerance for military coups and
undemocratic change of government in Africa, this requires that Nigeria must
demonstrate exemplary leadership by tenaciously nurturing and deepening its
internal democracy and assist less powerful countries to maintain their
democracy”, Dr Lawal explained.
