President Bola Tinubu opposed a proposal to divide the Division of Political Affairs, Peace, and Safety (PAPS) into two separate entities on the thirty eighth African Union (AU) Summit.
Tinubu, who additionally serves because the Chairperson of the Financial Group of West African States (ECOWAS), argued that such a transfer may weaken battle decision mechanisms and governance buildings throughout the continent.
Represented by Minister of Overseas Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, President Tinubu made his stance clear throughout deliberations on the AU reforms report.
Whereas commending Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Kenyan President William Ruto for his or her management in spearheading AU reforms, Tinubu careworn the significance of streamlining processes somewhat than increasing bureaucracies unnecessarily.
Tinubu acknowledged Nigeria’s help for key reform initiatives, together with the institution of a Heads of State and Authorities Oversight Committee on AU reforms, to be led by President Ruto.
He additionally backed the advice to restrict the AU Summit agenda to not more than three strategic objects to reinforce focus and effectiveness.
Opposition to Splitting PAPS
A central concern in Tinubu’s intervention was his rejection of the proposal to separate PAPS into two distinct departments. Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, who was re-elected as the pinnacle of PAPS on the summit, has been instrumental in overseeing political affairs, peacekeeping, and safety efforts inside the AU.
“We don’t help the proposal to reconfigure the Division of Political Affairs Peace and Safety (PAPS) because the reconfiguration of the PAPS Division in the way in which presently prompt will solely lead us to incur extra expenditure needlessly,” President Tinubu said in a speech delivered by Ambassador Tuggar.
“We have already got a SOD below the Directorate of PAPS. We can not have a Peace Help Operations Directorate impartial of the Directorate of Political Affairs, Peace and Safety.
“We imagine any try and create one other division from the prevailing one will destabilise the AU political affairs and peace and safety course of. It is usually necessary that points that have been by no means dropped at the eye of Member States are usually not a part of the reform,” President Tinubu stated in a press release signed by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga on Sunday.
Name for a Phased Reform Strategy
Highlighting the necessity for inclusiveness and transparency, Tinubu referred to as for a extra structured and phased method to AU reforms.
Slightly than making an attempt a sweeping overhaul, he urged AU member states to give attention to implementing already agreed-upon insurance policies and programmes.
“It’s on this connection that Nigeria needs to reiterate that as a substitute of searching for to succeed in consensus on all fronts of our reform at one sweep, we must always consider areas the place we’ve got already reached consensus. There is no such thing as a hurt in finishing up reform in phases. It might be an error to proceed searching for session on all fronts in perpetuity,” President Tinubu emphasised,” Tinubu famous.
Nigeria’s Dedication to AU Reform
President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to supporting AU reforms that promote effectivity, inclusivity, and stability.Nonetheless, he cautioned in opposition to reforms that might disrupt the prevailing governance framework with out clear benefits.With Nigeria’s rising affect in regional safety and diplomacy, Tinubu’s place indicators a broader technique of making certain that AU reforms improve, somewhat than complicate, the continental physique’s peace and governance mandate.
