It’s obvious that if the WHO Pandemic Settlement and amendments to the IHR are signed of their present type by the requisite WHO member states, they could pave the way in which for the erosion of well being and financial sovereignty from African states.
Nigeria and different African international locations should keep in mind that they’re sovereign international locations. They’ve the appropriate, as sovereign entities, to find out what’s finest for themselves and to reject something that compromises their territorial sovereignty. Neither the UN nor WHO has the appropriate to intrude within the governance of African nations. African international locations have the appropriate to enact legal guidelines that replicate the aspirations of their folks.
Actually, the UN or WHO lacks the locus standi to dictate to Nigeria and different African international locations how they need to govern themselves. A folks with out id is a folks with out existence. Nigeria and Africa have their very own id. The UN and WHO can not redefine who we’re as a folks. Africa can not blindly undertake international life and impose them on her folks. Nigeria and different African international locations should reject any “one-world authorities” concocted by the United Nations and WHO that might consequence within the annulment of the territorial sovereignty of impartial international locations, particularly Nigeria and different African nations.
President Tinubu additionally requested that the United Nations prioritise debt forgiveness or debt cancellation for Nigeria and different growing international locations from collectors and multilateral monetary establishments. He urged them to recommit to multilateralism by deepening relations amongst UN member states in step with the rules of inclusivity, equality, and cooperation. He said that this was the surest assure of world motion in opposition to the existential challenges confronted by the worldwide neighborhood.
On paper and in concept, debt forgiveness could seem to be a much-needed reduction for Nigeria and for international locations overwhelmed by debt. In Nigeria, the place many individuals are fighting rising mortgage debt on account of a troublesome financial system, erasing some or this complete burden could appear interesting. Nonetheless, debt forgiveness is just not the answer to Nigeria’s ailing financial system. To start with, given her present fiscal indiscipline, imprudent spending, and the monetary profligacy of her officers, Nigeria and plenty of different African international locations hardly qualify for debt cancellation. Collectors can not however take into cognisance the life-style of debtor international locations, and the way they’ve utilised the loans they took. Sadly, lots of them, together with Nigeria, haven’t demonstrated the fiscal self-discipline and even handed use of scarce or borrowed sources, to impress their collectors. Even when Nigeria have been to qualify for debt cancellation, debt forgiveness may sign an incapability to handle its debt, making it troublesome for Nigeria to safe new loans. Debt forgiveness fosters reliance on exterior help and diminishes incentives for fiscal accountability. It might harm Nigeria’s relationships with worldwide lenders, lowering the nation’s affect and standing within the worldwide neighborhood.
African leaders ought to get up to the truth that the so-called billions of {dollars} given to African international locations by their Western growth companions have failed to supply vital growth progress. Many aid-dependent African international locations are poorer at present than they have been half a century in the past. There isn’t a such factor as a free lunch. A lot of international assist includes giving with the appropriate hand whereas taking again with the left. Overseas assist typically comes with strict circumstances or strings hooked up, and makes an attempt to satisfy these circumstances convey destruction to African international locations.
Nigeria and different African international locations ought to reject international assist. Overseas assist has underdeveloped Africa. The reality is that international assist is just not the answer to Africa’s quite a few socio-economic and political challenges. Relatively than demand international assist or debt forgiveness, Nigeria ought to strategise to search out her rightful place within the worldwide neighborhood. For instance, Nigeria and different African international locations ought to prioritise transparency and accountability of their political management. They need to strengthen their establishments, together with the judiciary, anti-corruption businesses, and the electoral fee. Funding in high quality schooling and growing healthcare infrastructure are important, together with bettering entry to high quality healthcare providers. Nigeria also needs to pursue sound financial diplomacy to draw international funding and promote commerce. Addressing insecurity, akin to Boko Haram, banditry, and kidnapping, is essential, as is bettering border safety to manage migration and smuggling.
As an alternative of counting on international assist and debt forgiveness, Nigeria ought to strengthen its commerce relationships inside Africa, notably by way of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and regional financial communities. Moreover, Nigeria ought to improve its international partnerships by searching for membership in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
Membership in BRICS has the potential to supply quite a few advantages, akin to growing Nigeria’s entry to massive markets and funding alternatives, thereby boosting commerce and funding. It might assist diversify Nigeria’s financial system and enhance its international competitiveness. BRICS membership would additionally facilitate cooperation with Russia in power and safety, Brazil in agriculture, and South Africa in mining, finance, and regional integration. Furthermore, it might give Nigeria unimpeded entry to the Chinese language and Indian markets.
Concluded.
