The Nigerian government has kicked against the proposed reconfiguration of the Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS), by the African Union, saying doing so would only lead the organisation to “needlessly” incur more expenses.
Making the Nigerian position known through a statement delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, during discussions on the African Union (AU) reforms report in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, over the weekend, President Bola Tinubu said:
“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 SOD 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.”
Nigerian diplomat, Bankole Adeoye, 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 President, however, expressed its support for reforms within the African Union (AU) aiming to enhance the organization’s effectiveness, relevance and responsiveness to the evolving needs of its member states amidst shifting global political and economic landscapes.
He also praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Kenyan President William Ruto for their reform proposals.
He affirmed his support for the recommendations outlined in the draft decision on AU reforms and announced Nigeria’s backing for the creation of a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee on AU reforms, under the leadership of President Ruto.
In a statement issued by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Nigerian government also endorsed the proposal that the agenda of the AU Summit features no more than three strategic items.
On the need for inclusiveness and transparency as an integral part of the reform of the AU system, President Tinubu noted that 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 emphasised.
President Tinubu said Nigeria would continue to support the reform process as long as it remains transparent and inclusive and did not needlessly destabilise the status quo.
