Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja.
There was one presentation made by Subject Experts on Eastern Europe. The presentation was made by Brig Gen AK Egwuagu (Rtd) Subject Expert on Eastern Europe, he discussed National Self-Interest Stymying Global Cooperation. The prestigious Munich Security Conference (MSC) during its annual meeting last weekend, in preparation for her next conference and 60th anniversary celebration this February 2024, came up with a survey suggesting that nations were beginning to define success as relative to others rather than the common good. The report observed that the world had entered a new era marked by zero-sum thinking in which countries seek relative advantage through protectionism, self-interest and rejection of mutually beneficial cooperation.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria Brig Gen AK Egwuagu (Rtd) noted that, in order to checkmate the looming insecurity situation in Africa, Nigeria needs to be a strong unifying force bringing together not only her West African neighbours but also other African countries especially her neighbouring francophone countries including Chad, Cameroun, Central African Republic and Gabon. “Nigeria has the potentials of a world power and therefore needs to draw up a roadmap on how to take back her rightful position in the comity of nations by re-strategizing her exertion of influence on the black race and the world at large in similitude of the US, Russia, China and the EU powers”.
In his recommendations, Brig Gen AK Egwuagu (Rtd) pointed out that the FGN should leverage her position as a leader in West Africa to do all diplomatically possible to make the three countries that pulled out of ECOWAS to return back to the fold and the FGN should also pursue Nigeria’s strategic oil and gas economic interest especially in the export of her huge gas reserves to Europe, through cooperation and sound diplomatic relationship with the countries through which the pipelines pass through.
