BY MOYINOLUWA BAMIDELE LUCAS
The High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to efforts aimed at building economic resilience and enhancing global trade as well as promoting climate change agendas to secure peace and prosperity and the survival of our planet. He gave the commitment at the 22nd Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting that took place at the Commonwealth Headquarters, Marlborough House London on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, also participated in the meeting. The meeting focused on several areas of priority including building resilience for peaceful, just, and stable societies; financing for climate resilience and environmental sustainability and leveraging Intra-Commonwealth trade and digital connectivity. A Commonwealth Day reception was hosted by His Royal Highness King Charles lll on the last evening of the event in honour of Commonwealth member countries at Buckingham Palace.
This year’s Commonwealth Day was celebrated under the theme ‘Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future’. Commonwealth Day aims to unite the 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens in their shared values and principles. Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, who also attended the meeting, restated the UK’s commitment to the Commonwealth, a diverse network of 56 nations.
He emphasised a focus on developing intra-Commonwealth trade and investment, tackling climate change, protecting the environment, and promoting the Commonwealth’s shared democratic values. Foreign ministers discussed progress made on shared Commonwealth objectives since they last met in Kigali in June 2022.
They also discussed tackling climate change, boosting trade and investment between Commonwealth countries, and supporting free and democratic societies. They reviewed plans for the next meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government, scheduled to take place in Samoa in 2024, and considered a number of country-specific situations. The Foreign Secretary encourages focus on efforts that can deliver clear benefits for all Commonwealth members and where the Commonwealth has a comparative advantage. The Foreign Secretary set out three UK priorities during the meeting: To increase trade and investment between Commonwealth countries.
Members should ensure the benefits of the Commonwealth Advantage, the 21% lower average cost of trade between Commonwealth countries, are built on and extended to new members. The Foreign Secretary stressed the need to support Commonwealth members facing challenges in attracting inward investment.
To use the Commonwealth’s powerful collective voice to continue to counter the impact of climate change, and work with small and vulnerable members, including Small Island Developing States, to build their resilience to shocks. To support and further embed democracy, good governance, the rule of law and gender equality across the Commonwealth In addition to CFAMM, James Cleverly also held a number of individual bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from Rwanda, Jamaica, Malaysia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.
