Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has unveiled a new foreign policy agenda known as the “4-Ds” Ds”—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—which aims to secure the country a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and inclusion in the G20 group of leading economies.
The 4-Ds framework emphasizes several key factors, such as democracy, development, demography, and diaspora.
They are aimed at promoting and upholding democratic values and norms both domestically and internationally, diving economic growth and prosperity through sustainable development initiatives leveraging Nigeria’s large and youthful population as an asset on the global stage and mobilizing the Nigerian diaspora around the world to contribute to the country’s development and international standing.
Tuggar, speaking at the Annual Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) Foreign Policy Lecture in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s strong commitment to achieving these goals.
He emphasized the importance of proactive diplomacy in addressing regional challenges such as military coups and unconstitutional changes in West Africa.
The 4-Ds policy also prioritizes strategic autonomy, ensuring that Nigeria maintains independence and freedom of choice in its international relations. This includes forging alliances with democratic countries and promoting strong democratic institutions to counter threats like terrorism and irredentism in the Sahel region.
By focusing on these core principles, Nigeria’s 4-Ds foreign policy seeks to enhance the country’s global standing and secure its rightful place among the world’s leading nations.
The ultimate aim is to gain a permanent seat on the UNSC and join the G20, giving Nigeria a stronger voice and greater influence in shaping the international agenda.
