Get Guardian on GoogleFormer United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural Annual Diplomacy Day scheduled for November 20 in Abuja.
The event, organised by Media Diplomacy Studies (MDS), a think tank focused on media diplomacy and soft power, will be held under the theme, “Diplomacy in a Changing World: Building Trust, Partnerships and Influence for Nigeria and Africa.”
The former Minister of External Affairs and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations will speak on “Narrative Power and the Diplomacy of Influence: Nigeria, Africa and the Contest for Global Influence.”
A former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN), Amb. Joe Keshi, will chair the event, while Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Russia, Prof. Abdullahi Shehu, will review the book.
Founder and Chief Executive of MDS, Dr Mkpe Abang, said the forum was established to promote sustained, policy-focused discussions on diplomacy beyond ceremonial engagements.
According to him, diplomacy is increasingly shaped by ideas, information, public perception and credibility, making it necessary for Nigeria and other African countries to pay greater attention to how they engage with global audiences.
He said that, among others, the annual platform would bring together diplomats, policymakers, academics, media professionals and business leaders to examine emerging issues in international relations and Nigeria’s global influence.
