By Abah Adah, Abuja

The need for a deeper understanding of the interplay between international law and diplomacy in addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the world today has been emphasized. The President of the International Law Association (ILA), Prof. Damilola Olawuyi (SAN), the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Muhammed Ladan, and former Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Sarki, highlighted the importance of this interplay in their separate remarks at the opening ceremony of the Advanced Studies in International Law and Diplomacy held in Abuja on Monday, 22nd July, 2024.

Delivering his welcome address, the ILA President said, “International law has become increasingly important in light of the complex challenges facing our current world, ranging from climate change, wars, and crises in Ukraine and Palestine, to water, energy, and food poverty in many parts of Africa, and the complex challenge of maximizing the full value of intellectual property and modern technologies in a manner that respects and fulfills international law standards.”

Prof. Olawuyi regretted how international law has been skewed in favor of Western narratives, resulting in the weakening of African perspectives. He reiterated his determination to make Africa’s voice heard at the global stage, saying, “For many years, international law has been largely shaped by Western narratives. Our practitioners and lawyers have had to travel many miles to learn about international law, taught by foreign experts based on their own perspectives and legal systems. The end result is the gradual weakening of African perspectives in international treaty-making.”

He recalled that in recognition of Nigeria’s preeminent role in public and private international law, the ILA established a branch in Nigeria in 2014, providing a leading platform and intellectual space for Nigerian scholars and practitioners to explore, analyze, and resolve important questions in public and private international law, international diplomacy, and global governance.

Also, in his welcome address, the NIALS Director General, Prof. Ladan, noted that within the international society, law and diplomacy have always been complementary and interdependent. He emphasized that the week-long course focused on their interplay and how to apply the inherent theory in solving global problems. “Diplomacy, like international law, is a key part of our world, as it seeks to prevent conflict, encourages the adoption of international resolutions, promotes discussion and dialogue, and finds agreement through negotiation and common ground.”

Ambassador Usman Sarki, former Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, New York, further stressed the importance of the course, citing the recent controversy surrounding Nigeria’s signing of the EU-ACP Agreement, also known as the “Samoa Agreement.” He said, “We can all recall how the signing by Nigeria recently of the EU-ACP Agreement or the so-called ‘Samoa Agreement’ unleashed a heated controversy in our country that embroiled the government, a national media outfit, and the general public. At the heart of the controversy are international law and diplomacy and how both are seen to be approached by Nigeria.”

He emphasized that attaining proficiency in law and diplomatic theory and practice by Nigerian officials and academics will make for a better society grounded on useful knowledge and practical application of the precepts of international law and public diplomacy. “In other areas also, such as artificial intelligence, finance, intellectual property, climate change, and the environment, migration, combating terrorism, and other forms of international crimes, knowledge of the relevant aspects of international law and practical diplomacy will go a long way in shaping our approaches to global governance and challenges, as well as the fine-tuning of our process of engagement with other partners and stakeholders.”

“For Nigeria to be a leader and also an effective member of the international community, especially in such fora as ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, etc., her public diplomacy and methodologies of engagement must be grounded firmly on the astute grasp of international law and international institutional arrangements,” he added.There was a problem generating a response. Please try again later.

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