Nigeria’s belief in multi-lateralism and readiness to serve as exemplified by its many international commitments make its bid for re-election into the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, worthy of support from African countries and the world.

President Buhari

The Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Nigerian Permanent Mission in Switzerland, Ambassador Audu Kadiri, said this while hosting heads of permanent missions and international agencies in Geneva to commemorate Nigeria’s 58th independence anniversary, noting that observers of Nigeria’s external exertions would notice that its two key geo-political underpinnings in foreign policy are Africa’s economy and population.

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According to him, “it is for these reasons that Nigeria is currently seeking the valued support of fellow African countries for its re-election into the Council of the ITU as well as the election of Nigeria’s candidate, Mr. William Ijeh, as the Director of the ITU’s Telecommunications Development Bureau, BDT, at the impending Plenipotentiary Conference billed for October 29 to November 16 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.”

He explained that Africa, as centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, has been propagated and upheld by successive administrations since independence.

He added that Nigeria’s commitment to advancing the cause of Africa and the black race are seen in areas such as contributions to decolonisation of Africa, promotion of peace, security and unity on the continent, the pursuit and facilitation of socio-economic development in Africa, and the initiation and support for sub-regional and regional integration in Africa.

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The Ambassador noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s October 1 speech to the nation, where he remarked that Nigeria will continue to support initiatives aimed at addressing current global challenges such as terrorism, trans-border crime, climate change and poverty, among others, underpins Nigeria’s faith in multilateralism in addressing the issues.

He added that Nigeria has served meritoriously in the United Nations Security Council and other governing councils of organisations and agencies in the UN system and is willing to do so given the opportunity again.

Other dignitaries at the event were Dean, African Group of Ambassadors, Geneva, Ambassador Malloum Abbas of the Chadian Permanent Mission, Geneva, and Nigeria’s former Foreign Minister and former Under-Secretary General of the UN, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as well as Heads of international organisations and agencies.