Experts seek Nigeria’s voice in international law, diplomacy

International law experts have called for the urgent prioritisation of homegrown capacity development and training to fully accentuate Nigeria’s voice in international law and diplomacy.

They made this known at the opening of a one-week Certificate Course in Advanced Studies in International Law and Diplomacy, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), in partnership with the Nigerian branch of the International Law Association (ILA).

The ultimate objective of the course was to expose participants to the specialised knowledge and skill sets required for the practice of international law and diplomacy.

The opening ceremony featured compelling remarks by senior diplomats and experts including former Nigeria’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Sarki; the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Mohamed Tawfiq Ladan; President of the ILA Nigeria, Prof. Damilola S. Olawuyi (SAN), and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Musa Nuhu.

Others are the Vice Chair and Nigeria’s representative, UN Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Eghobamien-Mshelia Esther, and the Secretary General of the ILA Nigeria, Clement Osuya, among other dignitaries.

Ladan said the course was designed to help participants think critically about diplomatic and international legal issues in real-life contexts while applying theory to practice addressing some of the key questions facing the world today, and looking at contemporary practice and major events.

On his part, the chairman of the occasion, Amb Sarki stated: “For Nigeria to be a leader and also an effective member of the international community, especially in such fora as ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations etc, her public diplomacy and methodologies of engagement must be grounded firmly on the astute grasp of international law and institutional arrangements.

“Knowledge of the relevant aspects of international law and practical diplomacy will go a long way in shaping our approaches to global governance and challenges, as well as the fine-tuning of our process of engagement with other partners and stakeholders.”

President of the ILA, Nigeria, Olawuyi, who is a Professor of International Law, and an independent expert on the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Switzerland, said for many years, international law has been largely shaped by Western narratives.

He noted that “reclaiming the African voice in international law and diplomacy requires homegrown capacity development programmes that expose the next generation to the art and craft of international law and diplomacy.

“A course like this provides a chance to develop and maintain a steady track of international law scholars and diplomats from Nigeria, Africa and the world.”

While commending NIALS’s DG for providing such an innovative and inspiring platform for advanced studies in international law and diplomacy, Prof. Olawuyi called on all participants to “fully immerse themselves in the opportunities provided by the course.”

According to him, the one-week course will cover contemporary themes in public and private international law, taught by leading experts, including modules on artificial intelligence and new technologies, international human rights and humanitarian law.

Others, he said, include international criminal law, international energy and petroleum transactions, climate change and sustainable development, conflict resolution, international commercial arbitration, AFCTA and international economic integration, as well as ethics and skill sets for international diplomacy.