Mrs. Ekaette Enitan Sanusi is the Convener of Support the Uniform Initiative Nigeria and the Director, Institute for Corporate Wellness and Public Health,  who calls for a treaty between Nigeria and the G7 under the United States leadership to help strengthen the defence and security apparatus of Nigeria as President Buhari’s plans his official visit to the United States come July 20^th.  In this chat with Olufemi Ajasa  she discussed how her group, SUN will help to strengthen the defence, security and development policy framework in Nigeria.

Mrs. Ekaette Enitan Sanusi

How do you describe your Support the Uniform Initiative Nigeria from the perspective of contemporary security and growth challenges?       

Support the Uniform Initiative Nigeria (SUN) is a declaration for muscular, robust and smart defence, security and development pact with G7 advanced economies of United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Japan, as well as the European Commission that should transform to formal treaty of cooperation and partnership to enhance the living, eating, training and fighting conditions of Nigeria’s men and women in uniform nationwide.

What are the core fundamental principles of the Initiative?

The initiative is an expression of shared principles and values with the G7 for democratic and representative governance, respect for human rights, social protection and safety, transparent and accountable public institutions; accessible, independent and responsible legal systems; efficient public service delivery; vigorous private market for enhanced trade and investment; and climate resilient, decarbonized inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

What are the strategic direction and thrust of your goals?

SUN will help to strengthen the defence, security and development policy framework, strategic architecture and operational capacity of the military, paramilitary, police and intelligence agencies and services in Nigeria.

How do you justify this Initiative given the complexity of nation building and statehood?

We recognize that long term prosperity of Nigeria is dependent on sustainable peace, security and development engendered by disciplined, professional, functional, responsive and responsible military and police services that align with global best practices, processes, ethics and standards in democratic governance.

How does the Initiative directly impact on the military and security forces?

The initiative has provided institutional framework and platform for reform of culture, doctrine, orientation, outlook, operation, policy, strategy of the military, paramilitary, police and intelligence agencies for stronger access to funding and other collaboration mechanisms that will enhance expertise and performance to deal with security and development challenges on sustainable basis.

Why is your Initiative positioning and yearning for pact and treaty with advanced economies under the umbrella of G7?

We recognisethe strategic context of advanced economies of the G7 states as the largest sources of foreign exchange receipts for Nigeria from crude oil exports, direct investments, portfolio investments, grants, donations, and diaspora remittances and transfers. Europe is the largest importer of crude oil accounting for about 45 percent of total exports. Though the share of United States in crude exports is declining from 11percent of total exports in 2013 due to increased tight shale oil production, the quality of Nigeria’s crude stream still remains attractive for US refiners. Capital importation inflows from United Kingdom (55 percent) and United States (21.1percent) constituted more than 76 percent of total capital investment inflow of US$23.5 billion in 2013.

How do you explain the linkage of your Initiative with the maiden visit of President Buhari to the White House?

The initiative will take advantage of the advertised maiden visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to US President Obama in Washington DC on July 20, 2015 to raise awareness and present the need for urgency of action to support Nigeria’s men and women in uniform to overcome acute and worsening security challenges, and to provide composite stabilization assistance in the conflict areas from intervention and partnership programmes of US Department of States, US Department of Defense,and US Agency for International Department.

What would be your specific presentation for assistance under the security platforms of cooperation and partnership with United States? 

The initiative will develop actionable documents in partnership with our associates and affiliates for access to programmes that will provide security governance solutions for long term peace and stability. SUN will provide advisory for specific agreement with offer and acceptance conditions for supplies, repairs, maintenance of combat equipment, ammunition, surveillance and attack aircraft, with associated parts, training and logistics. The initiative will also assist to operationalize the execution platforms in the US State and Defense Departments, includingInternational Military Education Training (IMET), Foreign Military Financing (FMF), Trans-Saharan Counter-Terrorism Partnership (TSCTP), Anti terrorism Assistance (ATA), Combating Terrorism Fellowship (CTM), Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Defense Institutional Reform Initiative (DIRI), Security Governance Initiative (SGI) and African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP).

What are the other impactful social programmes for stabilization and growth on your radar?

Under the initiative, there shall be healthcare and social welfare programmes to support family and civil society in the military, paramilitary and police, including Maternal and Child Health (MCH), Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Let Girls Learn Initiative, Gender Equality and Female Empowerment, Feed the Future Initiative, McGovern-Dole Intervention for Food, Education and Child Nutrition, Malaria and Tuberculosis; The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR), among others.

How do you read the private market development components of the US platforms in terms of direct impact on job creation, income growth and business expansion?

SUN will also work with microfinance banks, mortgage banks, pension fund administration, and insurance firms to access long term fund, structured capital, loan guarantee programmes for financing micro, small and medium enterprises to strengthen private sector investment, and to adopt climate-resilient, low carbon, sustainable businesses. The specific US Economic Support Fund platforms include Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Development Credit Authority (DCA), US African Development Foundation (USADF), US Export and Import Bank (EXIM), Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

What are your thoughts on the impact of US interest, professional and economic groups for value additions to your Initiative?

We intend to align with influential think tanks, economic and trade groups that have as members of major transnational corporations, global financial institutions and large enterprises in United States with interest and focus on Nigeria including Corporate Council on Foreign Relations, American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institution, The Atlantic Council, Peterson Institute for International Economics and Center for Strategic and International Studies.

What are your thoughts on the platforms to take advantage of European opportunities?

SUN strategic thrust for Europe is harnessing the opportunities of the Africa-EU partnership platform for Nigeria through prominent and effective leadership at the African Union Commission and its governance organs, as well as robust bilateral relationships with United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Austria, Spain,

How do you see the operational framework for military and stabilisation assistance within the EU-Africa partnership architecture?

We will lead on operationalising the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) joint strategic plan for capacity building, training, equipment, deployment and fighting of the African Forces; as well as the accelerated implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) to invest in education, health, gender, renewable energy; hygiene, water and sanitation, nutrition, food security, for alleviation of poverty and fostering sustainable growth.

What would be your approach in the United Kingdom in terms of organisational focus and relationship?

SUN approach in the United Kingdom will be to pull resources of Department for International Development (DFID), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Ministry of Defence and CDC Group in public-private partnership structures for coherent efficient and holistic defence, security and development outcomes to deliver shared prosperity in Nigeria.

How does the Initiative align with the priorities of Canadian government and its development agencies?

This initiative will align with broad priorities of Canadian Government through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Export Canada and Canada Fund for Africa to  development assistance to counter terrorism and organised crime, improve democratic governance, rule of law and human right, increase food security, child and maternal health with commercial trade and capital investment opportunities for small and medium enterprises to boost sustainable growth and shared prosperity.

What are your thoughts on Abenomics as policy impetus and driver for Nigeria-Japan bilateral relationships?

The initiative will harness Abenomics for peace, stability and development, subject to meeting funding commitment of the Government of Japan in direct investment in human capital, enterprises, infrastructure and security, to engender good governance, job creation, food security, healthy lifestyle and sustainable economy in Nigeria. The implementation agency in focus is the Japan International Cooperation Agency under the International Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

How do you relate French and German intervention policy and strategy in Nigeria?

We see France and Germany security and development policy as heavy cannon and sweet carrot doctrine. France has the most potent military force of 7000 troops in four bases in Africa. It is reported that France has set aside about US$1.7 billion to acquire more heavy equipment and weapon to support its massive operation in Africa. France is one of the five largest exporters of weapons in the world. While Germany presents pacifist posture and non-conflict outlook, it has formidable arm exports industry ranking third largest in the world after United States and Russia. In 2013, Germany pledged 24.5 million Euro in financial and technical cooperation assistance to Nigeria.

What is your message in essence for President Buhari, National Assembly members, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the people of Nigeria?

We are calling for complete root and branch overhaul of the foreign, defence and economic policy of Nigeria for stronger integration with the advanced economies under the umbrella of G7. The building block of the new, bold policy is the collective defence, security and development pact which will align military, paramilitary, police and intelligence doctrine for joint combat operation, training, intelligence sharing and the right to military bases in Nigeria. Buhari Should Join Force with G7 to Strengthen Security and Defence System.The pact will be further transformed into formal cooperation and partnership treaty with the G7 countries to deepen fiscal and monetary integration that may metamorphosize into free trade, currency and economic bloc. SUN will put Nigeria on the path of defence, security and development treaty with G7 countries for shared peace, progress and prosperity.