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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has argued that the international system, once considered a bedrock for global cooperation, is increasingly failing to meet the needs of many countries, particularly those in Africa.
Tuggar spoke at Chatham House on Tuesday, focusing on ‘Nigeria’s evolving foreign policy and global aspirations.’
He pointed out that many African nations, including Nigeria, have long experienced challenges that the current international frameworks have struggled to address.
Tuggar highlighted ongoing conflicts in Sudan, eastern Congo, and the Sahel, where the United Nations and other international bodies have often been ineffective in providing lasting solutions.
The minister noted, “The existential threat to multilateralism and the rules-based international order—is it really as new as it might seem?
“Consider the wars in Sudan, eastern Congo, the Sahel and beyond.
“The UN is barely able to manage humanitarian support, still less, solutions to end the fighting or prevent the next conflict.”
The minister also criticised the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the disproportionate impact it had on developing countries.
He noted that some nations were far more privileged in accessing vaccines and resources, exposing the inequalities within the global system.
“Memories may fade, but the response to the COVID-19 pandemic showed that some partners were very much more equal than others,” he said, underscoring the failures of multilateralism during the health crisis.
Tuggar called for a reform of the global financial architecture, particularly in light of the challenges posed by economic disparity.
He pointed to issues such as the Basel IV regulations and the unequal access to markets, capital, and technology, which continue to hamper Africa’s development.
“We know the playing field is not level. And we know the limits of partnership,” Tuggar remarked, emphasising that the international system often prioritises the interests of wealthier nations over those of the developing world.
For him, these failures are emblematic of a broader problem: the rules-based international order is increasingly out of step with the realities faced by developing nations.
“We need to be honest about the rules-based international order.
“For more and more people, it is working less and less well,” he said, calling attention to the growing gap between expectations and the capacity of global institutions to meet the needs of poorer nations.
Throughout his address, Tuggar stressed the importance of finding a new balance in international cooperation that respects the needs and aspirations of countries like Nigeria.
He urged global leaders to recognise the need for change, asserting that the current system cannot continue to operate as it has in the past.
He concluded, “Nigeria has been arguing that we have to adapt systems, agencies and rules, if we are to stay true to the values and principles that underpinned those systems so successfully for so long.
“We now need to find new ways to make them relevant to a complex and changing world.”
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