Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has said economic diplomacy will be the guiding framework of his foreign policy if elected president on February 25.
He pointed out that economic diplomacy is intended to support the nation’s domestic priority of ending poverty, tackling insecurity by stimulating job-creating growth and enable local production of arms and munitions to fight insurgency.
Adebayo explained that the concept would entail promotion of domestic enterprise and attraction of long-term real sector foreign investment in the Nigerian economy.
He spoke yesterday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs’ (NIIA) platform for 2023 presidential candidates, with the theme, “The world of Nigeria and Nigeria in the world: Foreign policy as an adjunct of domestic priorities,” in Lagos.
“To ensure the foregoing elements of economic diplomacy are realised, Nigerian foreign missions and relevant agencies will be reorganised and reorientated. In this regard, economic desk officers at our embassies shall be drawn from the ranks of seasoned private sector practitioners, who know the language of international business and can woo investors to invest in Nigeria,” he clarified.
Adebayo pledged that he would secure business deals for Nigerian companies and businessmen in African countries, open new markets and ensure better pricing of Nigerian products abroad.
According to him, the policy would ensure pursuit of accountability and husbandry of all natural and human resources in the country for the benefit of Nigerian people in line with Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) captured under fundamental objectives and directive principle of state policy.
Speaking, NIIA Director General, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, charged the citizens to exercise their franchise by coming out en masse to vote.
