{"id":19964,"date":"2024-12-01T05:41:50","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T05:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19964"},"modified":"2024-12-01T05:41:50","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T05:41:50","slug":"foreign-minister-urges-patience-with-international-deals-says-diplomacy-takes-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19964","title":{"rendered":"Foreign Minister Urges Patience with International Deals, Says Diplomacy Takes Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Michael Olugbode in Abuja<\/p>\n<p>The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, yesterday urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the country\u2019s international agreements and diplomatic efforts, which, he said, would take time to yield results.<\/p>\n<p>Tuggar made this call when he briefed journalists on the outcome of President Bola Tinubu\u2019s recent state visit to France.<\/p>\n<p>Although he described the trip as a \u201cresounding success,\u201d he warned against expecting quick results, citing the gradual process of diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>He said, \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t view diplomacy and international relations as a marketplace transaction. It takes time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere must first be a framework, then agreements, and subsequently, collaboration between businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The minister also highlighted the federal government\u2019s role in creating an ecosystem where Nigerian businesses can leverage the opportunities arising from these bilateral agreements.<\/p>\n<p>He cited ongoing reforms designed to attract foreign investors, saying they reflect the administration\u2019s commitment to free enterprise.<\/p>\n<p>Tuggar enumerated significant achievements from the trip, including a $2.4billion agriculture investment secured during the G20 Leaders\u2019 Summit in Brazil and several Memoranda of Understanding signed in France.<\/p>\n<p>He noted that President Tinubu prioritised food security during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who responded favourably.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe president emphasised the importance of food security to his administration. Macron has responded positively,\u201d said Tuggar.<\/p>\n<p>The discussions also revealed Nigeria\u2019s extensive reserves of key minerals, including lithium, which Tuggar described as a \u201crevelation\u201d to the French delegation. This prompted President Macron to call for a new Memorandum of Understanding on critical minerals to be reviewed by Nigeria\u2019s Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n<p>Discussions also covered other critical sectors, including clean energy and infrastructure. Tuggar highlighted President Tinubu\u2019s interest in developing safe, non-military nuclear energy and solar power as areas for collaboration with France.<\/p>\n<p>On security, he acknowledged a shift in France\u2019s approach to West Africa, with President Macron acknowledging past mistakes and seeking Nigeria\u2019s guidance on counterterrorism initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe French have acknowledged their past mistakes and recognise that Nigeria\u2019s involvement is crucial to any efforts in securing West Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>On the domestic front, Tuggar emphasised the importance of ongoing reforms to create an environment conducive to investment. He said the recent Electricity Act allows states to establish power generation, distribution, and transmission systems.<\/p>\n<p>While addressing misconceptions about the proposed Tax Reform Bill, Tuggar argued that the bill would consolidate, rather than increase, taxes, making it easier for businesses to operate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPresident Tinubu wants to reduce the tax burden, making it simpler and more attractive for businesses,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on the overall outcomes, Tuggar reiterated the need for patience in evaluating the benefits of diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGovernment provides the enabling environment, but these outcomes are not immediate transactions\u2014they take time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The foreign minister also expressed confidence that the foundations laid during President Tinubu\u2019s recent diplomatic engagements would yield significant long-term benefits for Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>While in France, Presidents Tinubu and Macron signed two agreements to ensure a partnership on the development of critical infrastructure and the long-term sustainability of agriculture and food security.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #ccc; margin-top: 20px;\">\n<p><em>Source: <\/em> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/politics.einnews.com\/article\/765180576\/vW5ciSOOrlO-BRWn?ref=rss&amp;ecode=kmfm9fDbRbj4OPCJ\">politics.einnews.com\u2026<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, yesterday urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the country\u2019s international agreements and diplomatic efforts, which, he said, would take time to yield results. Tuggar made this call when he briefed journalists on the outcome of President Bola Tinubu\u2019s recent state visit to France. Although [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19964"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19964\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}