Nigeria has strongly opposed a proposal to restructure the African Union’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS), warning that such a move could lead to unnecessary expenditures and disrupt ongoing peace and security efforts across the continent.
Speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose statement was delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to meaningful AU reforms but rejected the bid to create a new department separate from PAPS.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said “we do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). The reconfiguration in the way currently suggested will only lead us to incur more expenditure needlessly.
“We already have a Peace Support Operations Directorate (SOD) under PAPS, and creating a separate department would be counterproductive,” President Tinubu stated.
While opposing the proposed restructuring of PAPS, Nigeria reaffirmed its strong support for AU reforms aimed at making the continental body more vibrant, responsive, and efficient in addressing Africa’s pressing political and economic challenges.
President Tinubu commended President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President William Ruto of Kenya for their leadership in advancing AU reform proposals and backed the establishment of a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee on AU reforms under President Ruto’s leadership.
Nigeria also endorsed the proposal to streamline AU Summit agendas, limiting them to three strategic items to ensure a focused and effective decision-making process.
President Tinubu emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and transparency in the AU reform process, urging member states to prioritize the implementation of already adopted policies and programmes rather than rushing into contentious changes.
“Instead of seeking to reach consensus on all fronts of our reform at one sweep, we should concentrate on areas where we have already reached consensus. There is no harm in carrying out reform in phases,” he stated.
He warned against introducing reform proposals that had not been widely discussed among member states, stressing that Nigeria would only support changes that enhance efficiency without destabilizing the existing structure.
Nigeria’s firm stance on maintaining the structure of PAPS comes as its head, Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, was re-elected for another term during the AU Summit.
President Tinubu assured that Nigeria remains fully committed to AU reforms that strengthen the continental body’s ability to address political, security, and economic challenges.
However, he cautioned that reforms must be transparent, well-planned, and avoid creating unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
“Nigeria will continue to support the reform process as long as it remains transparent, inclusive, and does not needlessly destabilize the status quo,” the President affirmed.