Nigeria has voiced strong opposition to the proposed restructuring of the African Union’s (AU) Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS), arguing that the move would lead to unnecessary expenditure and disrupt the AU’s peace and security framework.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, at the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to AU reforms but rejected the proposal to create a separate department from PAPS.
“We do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security. The reconfiguration as currently suggested will only lead us to incur more expenditure needlessly,” President Tinubu stated.
Nigeria emphasized that the Peace Support Operations Directorate (SOD) already exists under PAPS and that making it independent would destabilize the AU’s political affairs and security process.
The Nigerian government, however, backed broader AU reforms aimed at making the continental body more effective. President Tinubu commended Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Kenyan President William Ruto for their reform proposals and endorsed the plan to establish a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee under President Ruto’s leadership.
Additionally, Nigeria supported limiting the AU Summit agenda to three strategic items to improve efficiency.
On the need for transparency and inclusivity, President Tinubu stressed that the AU should focus on implementing agreed-upon reforms in phases rather than attempting to overhaul the system all at once.
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“It would be an error to continue seeking consultation on all fronts in perpetuity. Instead, we should concentrate on areas where we have already reached consensus,” he said.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for AU reforms as long as they remain transparent, inclusive, and do not destabilize existing structures.
The AU Summit, which ended on Sunday, February 16, 2025, saw the re-election of Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, a Nigerian diplomat, as the head of PAPS.