Pursuing Nigeria’s 4-D foreign policy doctrine in 2023

Foreign policy is a set of codified principles that guides the official relations of states in pursuit and protection of their national interest within the comity of nations. With regards to the posture and objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy from history, Nigeria since independence has pursued an ambitious Afro-centric foreign policy and the pursuit transcends in national governments till now. Nigerian foreign policy has remained immovable because it is enshrined in our Constitution.

The policy in summary, is to promote and protect Nigeria’s national interest, to promote African integration and support African unity, promote international co-operation for the consolidation of universal peace and mutual respect among all nations and elimination of discrimination in all its manifestations.

The 4D foreign policy strategy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is an extension of the Renewed Hope Agenda that catalogued President Bola Tinubu’s promises to Nigerians during the Presidential campaign with further elucidated three objectives which are: to protect the state against all forms of external aggression; promote the best possible outcomes for Nigeria in all engagements with other nations; improve Nigeria’s standing and dignity among the comity of Nations.

The 4D foreign policy anchored on Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora is a thrust aimed to pursue Nigeria’s interests in upholding democratic values, harnessing demographic potential, stimulating economic development, and prioritising the well-being of its diaspora community, helmed by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar at the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who seeks to recalibrate Nigeria’s global engagement strategy. The 4-Ds Diplomacy known and acknowledged as ‘Tinubu Doctrine’ also represents a strategic shift towards more intentional, dynamic, and value-driven foreign relations geared towards bringing modern solutions to address some complex challenges and to reposition Nigeria at the pinnacle of visionary and global affairs to manifest her destiny. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the aim of the Tinubu Doctrine “is to reinforce Nigeria’s position as a leader in Africa, enhance its influence globally, maximise opportunities through strategic autonomy, drive major multilateral reforms, and foster improved national security, trade, and investment.”

The current administration proactive 4D foreign policy directives are clear indication that the government demands more dividends and values from the state foreign relations and the directives is also an articulated strategy to respond to the geo-political realities in the global system where neo-imperial intentions and renewed scramble for Africa have reemerged by the global North for power and resources.

The administration from inception recognising that peace and security are pre-conditions for the full realisation of economic and political aspirations adopted the 4Ds to pursed effective governance, also as the world has witnessed a resurgence of ultra-nationalism and populism that now poses a threat to the supposed benefits of globalisation. This resurgence partly explains the closing of doors to countries and citizens of the global South by countries regarded as traditional allies, and the reviews and re-alignments that are redefining the changing global order, including the push by countries like Nigeria, South Africa and India, for a more democratic, equitable and just multilateral system.

In pursuing his outlined foreign policy objectives, President Tinubu leveraged on both bilateral and multilateral engagement in his recorded 11 foreign trips in 2023 since his inauguration in May to set the pace in the attainment of the state foreign policy goals.

The President has been to France for the Global Financial Pact Summit, United Kingdom on a private visit, Guinea Bissau for the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS meeting and the state’s independence anniversary, Kenya for the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the AU Summit, Benin Republic for the 63rd independence anniversary, India, for the 18th G20 summit, the United States, for the 78th United Nations General Assembly meeting, Saudi Arabia for the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh, Germany for G20 Compact with Africa and COP28 in United Arab Emirates for good measure.

Democracy is the first pillar in the 4Ds, here, in the government’s 4D context, Democracy refers to a pathway to enhanced peace and stability in Africa and around the world. As the chairman of West African sub-regional organisation, ECOWAS, Tinubu is highly determined to entrench democracy in the region. The unfortunate trend of circumvention of constituted term limit and resurgence of coups in a region is a tough challenge to first pillar in 4Ds which is Democracy. Since 2020, there have been eight coups in West Africa, Central Africa and the Sahel region.

The resurgence of coups in the region, suggest that coups can quickly derail the process of democratic consolidation and the current power grabs have raised concerns that the region could be backsliding from its progress toward greater democracy. Also, the threat to peace from terrorism and irredentism in the Sahel can be countered with a solid foundational basis of constitutional governance, strong democratic institutions and an alliance of democratic states in the region. The illusion that military regimes may somehow be better equipped to fight terrorists and separatists remains just that; soldiers are prone to turning their guns on each other instead of terrorists, in their contestation for political power. This leaves the periphery and border areas more at the mercy of non-state actors, creating more insecurity and instability to neighbouring countries and the region as a whole.
The aim of the first pillar in the 4Ds (Democracy) is to promote democracy in Africa with a focus on Nigeria which is essential for regional stability and human rights protection. Nigeria as a regional power actively support democracy to prevent coups and to address security challenges while pursuing strategic autonomy.

However, it is of geo-strategic important for Nigeria as Africa’s largest democracy and Chair of ECOWAS to pull its weight ally with other democracies and constitutional governments to reverse the devastating coup trend in the region. Nigeria and ECOWAS’s role in the successful elections in Liberia and President George Weah’s noble concession is an indication of what can be achieved through 4-Diplomacy.

The first pillar (Democracy) in 4-D also calls for Democracy in global institutions that remain exclusive clubs under sketchy criteria. 4-D requires working for Nigeria’s permanent membership of the UNSC, G20 and all other relevant multilateral groupings where democratic norms, size of population and size of the economy ought to be the yardstick for membership. Nigeria’s agitation for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat is historic; Tinubu unequivocally demanded membership of the G20 Summit in India, AU admittance notwithstanding. With the early trajectory of progress at the first pillar (Democracy), the prospect of entrenching democratic principle is high.
To be continued tomorrow.
Njoku is a research fellow, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.