The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has expressed concern over the persistence of violent conflicts across Africa, stressing the need for research that addresses both domestic and external triggers of instability.
“We see a lot of conflicts still going on in the African continent, and also within Nigeria, Nigeria being the largest country on the continent. So it is important that your work covers both indigenous and exogenous factors in the research work that you do,” he said.
Speaking further, Amb.Tuggar, who was recently on a working visit to the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), highlighted the urgent threats closer to home, pointing to the security challenges in the Sahel, terrorism, banditry, and what he described as a “new phase of unrest tied to resource conflicts.”
“It’s something that we need to focus our attention on,” he stated.
He further added, “ I have certain questions that I would like to ask just by way of drawing our attention to certain areas. Hopefully, this will stimulate discourse around the issue. Because you can see that one of the major reasons for the creation of the Institute is to promote the issue of Africa—integrating Africa and resolving conflicts, bringing about peace.”
The Minister noted Nigeria’s strong position in continental peacekeeping, recalling the country’s re-election to the Peace and Security Council, where it holds a near-permanent status.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, commended the Minister’s leadership, noting the support and freedom granted to run the Institute effectively.
“One of the key things is that you’ve provided an enabling environment for me to lead the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution without any form of encumbrance. You’ve provided guidance at a point and you’re very open and forthright when you see things that are wrong,” he said.
The DG revealed that internal conflicts in Nigeria had dominated the institute’s work for the past two decades, but a shift is now underway to broaden its scope.
“I gave you an assurance that I was going to do 60-40, you know, for a start. And I want to assure you that we are moving in that direction in terms of providing policy advisories on the Sahel, on the coastal areas, the Nigerian seas, and we are also expanding our research base. By this time next year, we should have come up with a West African study on state-by-state conflict assessment of the West African states,” he stated.
He added that the institute continues to enjoy significant goodwill from national and international agencies, NGOs, multilateral institutions, and research bodies worldwide. However, he appealed for increased budgetary support to strengthen both regional and continental operations.
“We wouldn’t have achieved this without the kind of leadership that you’ve provided,” the DG concluded.
Signed:
Dr. Joseph Ochogwu,
Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR)
