The federal government has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism and strengthening solidarity within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Sola Enikanolaiye, minister of state for foreign affairs, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Raphael Oni, his special assistant on digital media and public diplomacy.
He said Nigeria had remained an active OIC member since 1986 and continued to play a leading role in advancing peace, development, and cooperation among the organisation’s 57 member states.
“Nigeria remains a committed OIC member. We will work with all member states to ensure collective decisions reflect the aspirations of over 1.8 billion people and contribute to global peace and development,” Enikanolaiye said.
The minister led Nigeria’s delegation to the meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The delegation departed from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Tuesday for the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 26.
Mr Enikanolaiye said the meeting would strengthen cooperation on humanitarian issues, youth empowerment, and economic partnerships in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Briefing journalists before his departure, he said Nigeria’s engagement with the OIC aligned with the administration’s 4-D foreign policy doctrine, centred on Demography, Development, Diaspora, and Democracy.
“This is a journey of strategic partnership and purpose devoid of ideological or religious fixation.
“Nigeria goes to Jeddah to advance cooperation that delivers real benefits to our people.
“Our focus remains peace and prosperity from stronger ties with the Islamic world,” he said.
On humanitarian and security cooperation, Mr Enikanolaiye said Nigeria would advocate the operationalisation of a Nigeria-OIC Working Group on Humanitarian Affairs.
He said the initiative would strengthen regional responses to insecurity and humanitarian challenges in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel.
He added that Nigeria would support interfaith dialogue, rehabilitation of displaced communities, and efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism.
On youth empowerment and development, the minister said Nigeria would push for expanded OIC-supported programmes in vocational training, women’s empowerment, healthcare, and cultural exchanges.
He said the programmes would equip Nigerian youth with skills while promoting peace and unity across member states.
Mr Enikanolaiye said the delegation would also showcase Nigeria’s economic reforms and investment opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, Business Process Outsourcing, automotive, oil and gas, and commerce.
He added that Nigeria would engage OIC investors and institutions on Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Government (B2G) partnerships to attract foreign direct investment and promote economic diversification.
The minister said Nigeria would participate constructively in the meeting to ensure the emergence of leadership committed to unity, reform, and people-centred programmes across the 57-member organisation.
He said the OIC had implemented various programmes and projects across Nigeria without religious bias.
According to him, the meeting would also feature the election of a new secretary-general of the OIC, as well as bilateral engagements with counterparts and OIC officials on the sidelines of the CFM.
He said the engagements would focus on advancing Nigeria’s interests within the organisation.
(NAN)
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