- Calls For Combined Maritime Task Force To Enhance Security In GOG
The Federal Government of Nigeria has thrown its weight behind the move to reform the African Union (AU) in a bid to making the continental body more vibrant, viable, and relevant to the needs of member states in the face of rapidly changing global political and economic realities.
This is even as the Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu called on the Africa Union Peace and Security Council, AUPSC, to prioritise the establishment of a combined maritime task force to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea.
President Bola Tinubu made this known during the consideration and deliberation on the AU reforms report.
President Tinubu whose statement was delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, commended his Rwanda and Kenya counterparts, Paul Kagame and Williams Ruto, for the reform proposals.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu acknowledged the recommendations outlined in the draft decision on the AU reform.
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He said; “the Nigerian government supports the proposal to establish a Heads of State and Government oversight Committee for the AU Reforms under President Ruto’s leadership.”
The Nigerian government also endorsed the proposal that the agenda of the AU Summit feature no more than three strategic items.
In the intervention delivered by Ambassador Tuggar, President Tinubu rejected the proposal to create a new department out of the existing Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Nigerian diplomat, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, heads the department.
He was re-elected to another term at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, which ended Sunday.
President 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,” President Tinubu said.
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,” President Tinubu emphasised.
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He said Nigeria would continue to support the reform process as long as it remained transparent and inclusive and did not needlessly destabilise the status quo.
On the need for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, President Tinubu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to host the task force’s headquarters in Lagos.
He also conveyed Nigeria’s position as the AU considered the report on the AUPSC, focusing on peace and security in Africa, and the biennial report on the implementation of the Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa (2023-2024).
The Nigerian Leader’s statement was delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.
He said; “The time has come for the African Union Peace and Security Council to prioritise the creation of a Combined Maritime Task Force for the Gulf of Guinea.
“I wish to announce that Nigeria would like to host the headquarters of the task force in Lagos.”
Nigeria’s recommendation of a maritime task force comes on the same day that it signed an agreement with the AU to provide Strategic Sea Lift Services for AU peace support operations, natural disaster support, humanitarian actions, and personnel movement.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Badaru Abubakar signed the agreement under the agreement, the Nigerian Navy will provide a vessel for the operations on a cost-recovery basis.
Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Naval Chief, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, and Director-General of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed, witnessed the agreement signing.
Ambassador Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, signed for the AU.
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President Tinubu expressed satisfaction that the AUPSC had already adopted the outcomes of a high–level meeting, including the decision to upgrade the Nigerian National Counter-Terrorism Centre to a Regional Counter–Terrorism Centre.
He also appreciated the Peace and Security Council’s decision to renew the mandate of the Multinational Joint Taskforce, addressing the twin challenges of terrorism and violent extremism in the Lake Chad Region.
