• Attributes delay to lack of funds
• Ex-Foreign Minister, Gambari, to address UNGA
One of the Spokespersons to the Presidency, Dr Daniel Bwala, has said that President Bola Tinubu may prioritise ambassadorial appointments to G-20 nations.
Bwala, who gave the hint yesterday via a post on X, said that the President had acknowledged that the delay in releasing the ambassadorial list was due to funding challenges affecting Nigerian foreign missions.
He noted that despite public concerns, the President could strategically give priority to G-20 countries because of their significant economic partnerships with Nigeria.
Bwala added that the matter would be resolved soon to ensure effective representation abroad.
IN another development, Nigeria’s former Foreign Minister and renowned diplomat, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has been scheduled to participate in the next high-profile 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
His participation follows his role in Nairobi, Kenya, where he joined other members of the African Union (AU) high-level panel of eminent experts for a five-day review of the AU’s Governance, Peace, and Security Frameworks.
The panel, chaired by former South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, also included Amre Moussa, former Egyptian Foreign Minister and former Secretary-General of the Arab League; Sam Kutesa, Uganda’s former Foreign Minister and a past UNGA President; and Mahamet Saleh Annadif, Chad’s former Foreign Minister and former UN Under-Secretary-General.
The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, also attended the Nairobi sessions held from September 1 to 5.
Gambari told newsmen in Ilorin that his work with the AU reform panel “underscores Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa’s search for sustainable peace and security.”
He hinted that he would deliver a keynote address at the African Economic Global Convergence (AEGC) summit on September 21, where he will also receive the AEMA Black Prize for excellence in international service and diplomacy.
On the same day, he will participate in a presidential roundtable titled “From Ezulwini to an Equitable World Order: Power, Peace, Prosperity and Reparations.”
The event, organised by the Africa Governance Institute and the Open Society Foundations, will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Ezulwini Consensus, which calls for Africa’s permanent representation on the UN Security Council.
Later, on September 25, Gambari will chair a high-level roundtable on “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals, Aviation and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roadmap for Peace and Security,” convened by The New Diplomat.
