Nigerian Envoy, Okoyen, calls for diplomatic perspective on Africa’s economic development
The outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nigeria to the Republic of Cuba, His Excellency, Mr. Benaoyagha B. M. Okoyen, has called for a panel discussion that would focus on seeking out a diplomatic perspective to the question of Africa’s economic development.
Ambassador Okoyen made the call during a farewell reception organized in his honour by the African Group of Ambassadors at Club Havana, Cuba on Friday, November 10, 2023.
Okoyen, who has been serving as Nigerian’s Ambassador to Cuba with concurrent accreditation to Bahamas, Honduras and Nicaragua, at the event, spoke on “African Economic Development: Diplomatic Perspective”.
While thanking the Group for organizing the luncheon in his honour, Ambassador Okoyen, presented the written concept note, addressed to the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, urging the stimulation of a diplomatic panel discussion among the African Group of Ambassadors in Cuba on the pathway to African Economic Development in the face of the current global uncertainty.
Ambassador Okoyen’s proposal is aimed at promoting knowledge-based dialogue for exchange of ideas among the Ambassadors, and encouraging the African Group to stimulate discussion on policy issues on Africa in the context of deploying diplomacy for Africa’s Economic Development.
The proposal, which contained detailed objectives, expected outcomes, panel Agenda and proposed nomination for Ambassadors to serve as key panel Discussants representing the five regions of the African continent, is an invitation to use the instrumentality of diplomacy to produce recommendations that would positively contribute to supporting African leaders in making decisions towards the economic development of Africa.
The highly respected Envoy raised pertinent questions as to why Economic Development in Africa is being delayed despite the economic growth potential in the continent.
He noted that many believe that some of the development models proposed by the western world /International organizations, for Africa have led to economic distress, frustration and stagnation, resulting to internal conflicts and wars in several countries.
Since the usual temptation to blame African leaders for the continent’s underdevelopment has not been helpful, Ambassador Okoyen asked the African Diplomatic Group across the world to play a major role in solving the Economic problems of the continent.
Africa, he stressed, is endowed with people of high intellect, as well as abundant natural resources required to lead the pathway to its rapid Economic Development.
The Dean of the African Diplomatic Group and Ambassador Djibouti to Cuba, H. E. Mr. Nasser Mohammed Ousbo, who accepted the challenge, thanked Ambassador Okoyen for the foresight and expressed the readiness of the Group to implement the recommendations next year, 2024.
The Dean further lamented that Ambassador Okoyen’s departure from Cuba will create a big vacuum not only for the African Group but for the entire Diplomatic Community. He, however, expressed the conviction that Ambassador Okoyen’s services will be well utilized by his country, Nigeria, in his next assignment.
Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen, who had presented similar proposals to the Group
in the past served as the African Diplomatic Corps’ Treasurer.
He was the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, United States of America (USA) before being posted to serve in Havana as the country’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Cuba with concurrent accreditation to the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas, Republic of Honduras and Republic of Nicaragua.
