A lecture by H.E Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, entitled ‘Security and National Development in a Plural Democratic Society’ at the Realnews Fourth Anniversary held in Abuja, 2016.
Before I
start, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Realnews Magazine for
inviting me to deliver its Fourth Anniversary Lecture on ‘Security and National
Development in a Plural Democratic Society.’ I would especially like to thank
Ms. Maureen Chigbo, Chief Publisher and Editor of Realnews.
I have
been asked to talk about security and national development in a plural
democratic society. This concerns the
challenge of how to create an enabling environment for national development and
democracy while ensuring the security of the State and its citizens. I would like to share some reflections on our
topic with special reference to Nigeria and the West Africa sub region.
Today,
Nigeria maintains the position of Africa’s largest economy. The diverse
character of its population of over 170 Million, its youthfulness and multi-ethnic
and religious composition make the country a peculiar mosaic. While others may see
this as many mouths to feed, it is also good to point out that this population
is a formidable market force and an asset to economic development, particularly
if you take into account the entrepreneurial nature of Nigerians.
Allow me
to commend the tangible achievements of Nigeria in promoting national
development and human security. As
highlighted by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari in the End-point Report
2015 on the Millennium Development Goals:
“The
Experience of Nigeria presents a bag of mixed results. On the positive side
Nigeria improved its hitherto very poor health indices and low-gender parity
index, among other indicators. This
translated into the reduction of maternal and child poverty and getting Nigeria
on the way to eradicating polio through effective national and international
partnership. These efforts aided the
reduction in the spread of malaria and HIV and AIDS; and achievement of higher
net enrolment rate in basic education and gender parity in the primary school.
They also led to improved access to safe drinking water.”
The
President also highlighted that “on the negative side, Nigeria still has a lot
to do to improve access to good sanitation facilities and curb the menace of
climate change and other environmental challenges such as pollution,
desertification, erosion and flooding.”
Maybe most
important was the renewed commitment of Nigeria, reiterated by the President,
to pursue the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so as
to many Nigerians out of poverty and deprivation.
Let me add
here that the new development framework provided by the SDGs adopted by the
General Assembly last year, reflects a new thinking on the linkages between
development and security. The Goals
related to achieving peace, security, development and the rule of law can, and
should be pursued simultaneously. They
are interdependent, in fact mutually reinforcing; – there is no development
without peace, security and the rule of law.
On the other hand no peace can be long lasting without development.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, While I
was very pleased to note the success of Nigeria in implementing the Millennium
Goals, I was very sad when I read the following phrase:
“The net
enrolment rates in primary and secondary schools which had registered
commendable progress in the past have, however, been halted by the effects of
insurgency in the North-east geopolitical zone”
This is an
example of a situation where the absence of security has a direct impact on
development. The ability of the State to provide education to its citizens and
prepare the next generation to enter the labour market is compromised. Citizens are deprived of their right to
education. This is reflected by my visit
yesterday to Brono State where the UN is scaling up so as to meet the human
crisis that is emerging as a result of Boko Haram insurgency.
This led
me to reflect on the critical challenges Governments are facing in delivering
services to their citizens and which may constitute obstacles to achieving the
SDGs.
I have very
grave concern with the threat that non-State actors are posing to development,
peace and security, and the rule of law.
Transnational
organized crime constitutes a major threat to Governments and communities in
our region. In their search for profits they engage in trafficking in drugs,
arms, and small weapons, human trafficking, and precious metal.
The
resources derived from their criminal endeavors provide them with the capacity
to corrupt our institutions and undermine the state and its law enforcement
capacity.
Let me
give you an example: According to UNODC,
18 tons of cocaine transit through the region per year. Their market value is US$ 2 billion. And there are other very worrying trends.
Criminals
in Nigeria have, in the recent past, started to manufacture methamphetamines
and several laboratories have been seized.
These are some of the most addictive drugs which can easily flood our
streets.
We must
also think of the direct adverse impact on the health of the citizenry arising
from drug addiction.
Organized
crime makes a mockery of our porous borders and undermines our maritime
security. They sometimes operate in the
jurisdiction of the State with impunity.
Corruption undermines the faith of citizens in their governments.
Our region
has been the target of terrorist groups and violent extremists. They constitute
the archenemies of our democracy and pluralistic society.
In the
past year, we have watched with horror attacks carried out by militant groups
in Bamako, Ouagadougou and Grand Bassam.
Niger continues to be a target. We are also given daily and harsh
reminders about terrorism and violent extremism in the northern part of Mali.
Boko Haram is considered as the world’s deadliest terrorist groups, responsible
for more deaths in one year than any other terrorist group in the world.
In the
Niger Delta, new militant groups are emerging, attacking oil facilities and
threatening strikes on other government targets. And the clash between farmers
and herders in the Middle Belt continues. In addition, grievances from the time
of the Biafra civil war also loom large.
These developments have contributed to undermining the security and
development of Nigeria.
These are
the challenges we face and which we must collectively address in order to
maintain the rule of law, ensure peace, security and national development.
This may
seem like a bleak picture. Let us look
at our response.
I am very
confident that we are making progress. I
would like to highlight the resilience of Nigeria.
An
interesting example is the Bring Back our Girls movement, which united
Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines to fight aggression by Boko Haram
against the nation. One of your Nigerian poets, Ben Okri, has referred to this
resilience as Nigerians’ capacity to be greater than their suffering.
In the
mist of all these challenges, what has stood out most conspicuously is the
determination of the Nigerian people to overcome the challenges confronted. We must not forget the entrepreneurial spirit
and prowess of Nigerians, the innovative zeal of its youths and intellectual capacity.
These are indicators of a promising nation.
I remain, therefore, always hopeful that the best is yet to come.
Nigeria
set an extraordinary example in the general elections of last year, with a
peaceful transfer of power. All the odds were against it. All the countries of
the region were watching with keen interest. The outgoing and incoming
Presidents were true statesmen, placing the security of the nation first. They
refused to use Nigeria’s security challenges as a pretext for compromising the
election results.
This is a
lesson for West Africa but also for other parts of the continent where we see
security concerns being manipulated to undermine democracy. And in my work in the region I always cite the
good examples of Nigeria.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, a very
positive development in the region is the strengthening of democracy. General elections have been held peacefully
in a number of West African countries in the past year. In addition to Nigeria, elections were held
this year in Niger, Benin and Cape Verde.
Elections in Ghana next month are expected to run smoothly. West Africa can serve as a model to other
regions. We must also recognize the role
and contribution of ECOWAS, particularly in monitoring elections.
This is
first and foremost a reflection of political commitment to the respect for the
rule of law, consensus building, and recognition that peace and security are
fundamental to development.
Regional
organizations such as ECOWAS are playing a critical role in tackling
cross-border challenges in West Africa, both through the adoption of normative
frameworks and through operational partnerships with Member States and regional
and international entities.
Governments
are working closer together to counter the threat to national security. Nigeria has played an important and critical
role, dating back to the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia. And today, its
leadership of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), fighting the Boko
Haram insurgency, is decisive. We at
the UN are very pleased with the partnership we have established with the four
countries countering Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin.
Let me
refer to a landmark development in the region with regards to security and
development: Military coups d’états, or
self-appointed leadership, to call things by their names, have become a
phenomenon of the past in West Africa. Empowered by social media, citizens are
increasingly speaking up for democracy, against protracted regimes associated
with the past. This is good news. In
our region we have a zero tolerance for non-constitutional regime change.
Another
important opportunity for national development in Nigeria and the region is the
role of civil society in promoting a pluralistic society. West Africa has an
exceptionally vibrant and well-organized civil society with broad exposure to
and knowledge of democratic governance. In many ways, Nigeria could perhaps be
seen as the ‘cradle of civil society’ given the multitude of strong voices and
advocacy here.
Engaging
civil society in our efforts to find peaceful solutions to national and
trans-national security challenges lead to building societies based on the rule
of law and peaceful coexistence. We must
embrace all our constituencies, including teachers, shopkeepers, medical
personnel, religious leaders, farmers and herders, women and youth.
The
developmental solution to today’s challenges lies in the hands of entrepreneurs
operating in key economic sectors. They
are the drivers of growth and prosperity upon which Nigeria depends.
It seems
very relevant therefore, to listen to what the business world, and the private
sector in particular, has to say about the current development opportunities in
Nigeria. An environment of peace and security is essential for business to
thrive and for the private sector to make their contribution to the creation
and distribution of wealth. While the
private sector play a key role in poverty reduction through the creation of
wealth we must make sure that the prosperity that is created in all-inclusive. When the creation of wealth leads to the
concentration in a few hands we undermine our long-term security.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, National
dialogue is a critical process to rebuild societies after conflict. Nigeria has
organized a number of such national conferences in the past to promote national
unity around key issues.
I am a
strong proponent of such dialogues. At the same time, we need to invest more
resources and new thinking into making national dialogues more inclusive and
representative. We must address the
unmet grievances of populations at the periphery.
We have to
deal with the source of decades-long crises and conflicts, often manifested
along ethnic, religious and cultural lines.
This is essential to securing the nexus of peace, security and
development.
Dialogue
as an essential pillar for peace, security and development is championed by the
United Nations. The healthy dialogue which has upheld and sustained Nigeria all
these years should be harnessed and strengthened. But we must also build the
courage to act on the outcomes of national conferences and consultations. What we are weak at is early warning, early
intervention and action in preventing conflict from breaking and spreading.
There is
an increased awareness today in West Africa of the importance of promoting
women’s leadership and participation in governance.
Without
inclusivity and women’s participation, development will be skewed and that will
undermine democracy. It is no
longer tenable to lock out more than 50% of the population from critical
leadership positions across all sectors. I have
been impressed by efforts of several governments in the region to prioritize
the participation of women in governance.
Burkina
Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania and Niger have
provisions in place to increase women’s participation in national parliaments
and electoral processes. They have quotas and gender parity laws for this
purpose. Most of these countries have a 30 percent quota for women’s
participation in parliament. Senegal has a 50 percent gender parity law; Togo
has gender parity provisions in its Electoral Code. However, merely having
these affirmative action provisions is not enough. They must be implemented to
truly empower women. Both Ghana and
Nigeria are lagging behind and we must do a special effort to catch-up.
As head of
the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, I am working with ECOWAS and key
UN partners to promote the participation of women in the political process as
critical pillar for the strengthening of a democratic and plural society.
We engage
in advocacy around elections to encourage national
electoral commissions to embrace gender-responsive electoral laws. We support
gender-responsive constitutional reform processes. We have done this in Liberia
(2011) and Sierra Leone (2012) for example.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, I would
like to stress that it is so important to invest in education and
income-generating activities for youth. This is because it is a sure investment
in development and peace building. It is
an investment in the future.
President
Buhari has repeatedly emphasized the need to boost the education of youth as a
counter-balance to Boko Haram’s appeal to them.
Unemployed youth are vulnerable to joining violent and extremist groups.
Involving
youth in the development process, consulting representatives of young women and
men, is critical in ensuring their participation in development initiatives.
In order
for these appeals to be reached the targeted audience, the media must play a
strong role in the promotion of peace, security and development. This is
because terroris thrive on their distorted narratives. We must be aggressive in presenting counter
narratives to the terrorists.
The kind
of mobilization required to reverse the current security threats in Nigeria
requires a committed, dutiful and vibrant media which places national interest
and social cohesion above all
sectional concerns. Freedom of expression equally implies advocating for
nation-building, national development, the defense of the values of pluralism,
and accountability of public officials.
It is
indeed encouraging to observe that social media is thriving in this country
with the active involvement of enthusiastic young people. We are here today to celebrate Realnews for
its achievements.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen, let me
turn to the new approach taken by the international community, through the
United Nations, in promoting security and national development to strengthen
democracies and build long-term peace.
A new
vision and thinking has led to the adjusting of the UN’s current peace, security
and development toolbox to a changing global environment. First, there is a common understanding that
military and law enforcement responses alone are not adequate to counter
terrorism, prevent violent extremism, and ensure peace and security.
Alternative
approaches addressing the conditions conducive to terrorism; respect for human
rights; building strong institutions for development and promoting the rule of
law are equally essential. In other
words we must tackle the root causes of terrorism.
In this
regard, we need to think harder about how to tackle security threats without
hampering social and economic development and without infringing on fundamental
human rights. The new approach also
highlights the important contributions of women to peacemaking and
development.
In his
address on the 2016 International Peace Day in September, Secretary General,
Ban Ki Moon, called for a new paradigm shift on how we approach peace. He
qualified the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as pillars for peace. In this way, peace becomes the centerpiece of
all development endeavors.
Distinguished
ladies and gentlemen,
I have
presented to you some of the important threats our young democracies are
facing. Countries emerging from conflict
and investing their resources in nation-building have also to address the
ruthless threat posed by organized crime and terrorism. I have also expressed
to you my assessment that we are making progress in spite of the challenges
that we face and we have to acknowledge.
The nexus
between democracy, the rule of law, development and peace is getting clearer
and the efforts to achieve them more holistic. We are making progress. I have also mentioned some of the key
ingredients for our success, such as the involvement of civil society, the full
participation of women, the private sector, the media and youth in the
development process.
I have also
mentioned the resilience of Governments of the region, particularly Nigeria, in
ensuring the development of their people and their efforts to meet the
Sustainable Development Goals. These
goals need to be embraced at all levels, just as we did for MDGs in measuring
progress towards development. A meeting
with the private sector and Secretary-general last year provided us with the
opportunity to gauge how the private sector was supporting Government in
addressing the Goals. The implementation of the SDGs will be equally important as
a comprehensive framework for initiatives in the North-east of Nigeria in
countering the social and development damages resulting from Boko Haram
insurgency.
While we
need both visionary leadership and the active participation of a robust civil
society to ensure continued national development in a plural democratic environment,
I would like to insist that we all have a role to play as citizens. This is well enshrined in the Constitution of
Nigeria that starts with the words: “We the people of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria”.
Each
Nigerian has a role to play and each has a stake in our democracy.
