Tuggar calls for multilateral reform at EU–AU ministerial meeting

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar urged renewed commitment to multilateralism and deeper reflection on global challenges at the EU–AU Ministerial Meeting in Brussels. “It is at this point, when discussing peace, security, and governance, that the foreign minister of a large African country is meant to outline the progress we have made […]

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar urged renewed commitment to multilateralism and deeper reflection on global challenges at the EU–AU Ministerial Meeting in Brussels.

“It is at this point, when discussing peace, security, and governance, that the foreign minister of a large African country is meant to outline the progress we have made and the outstanding challenges that only closer cooperation can resolve,” he said.

Tuggar highlighted issues including small arms proliferation, climate change, violent extremism, and irregular migration. He warned against routine discussions, urging genuine reflection. “Typically, we all nod and pledge further collective action. And we have indeed seen many positives. But I wonder if our focus on the symptoms of despair and conflict obscure our vision of the underlying cause and how best we manage the condition.”

He stressed the fragility of the global framework, citing threats from non-state actors, disinformation, and digital currencies. 

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“We are here today as one of the most prominent expressions of faith in multilateral agencies, a rules-based international order, and the search for common solutions to common problems. And yet we know that it is a framework that has never appeared so fragile.”

Despite challenges, Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism, referencing the African Continental Free Trade Area, Nigeria’s stake in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and ECOWAS’ regional progress.

“Nigeria believes that agencies survive only when they can adapt to circumstance,” he asserted, reiterating calls for UN reform, fair trade, and equitable capital access.

He warned of rising public expectations, political opportunism, and governance limitations. “It’s a process that crowds out serious debate and empowers political snake oil salesmen,” he cautioned, noting that while West Africa has faced coups, “the crisis of democracy is global.”