The Role of Diplomacy in Attracting Foreign Direct Investment for Development in Nigeria: A Study of Olusegun Obasanjo Shuttle Diplomacy from 1999 to 2007
- April 25, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue IV, April 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Sanusi ADULWASIU1 and Muddassir AHMAD GADO2
1Department of Social Studies, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Nigeria
2Department of Sociology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
Abstract: Diplomacy has been described as an established way of engagement between countries through representatives, it is a method of influencing the decision and behaviour of government through discussion, negotiation, dialogue and other measures of engagement that are free of war or violence. It also a conduct of international relationships within the range of issues between countries across the globe. One of such methods of diplomacy is shuttle diplomacy which entails travelling by an intermediary or representative to engage in a discussion, negotiations and dialogue with other parties for enhanced relations between them. Nigerian government during Olusegun Obasanjo era employed shuttle diplomacy to, among others, rebuild the country’s image and confidence in the eyes of international communities with the sole aim of attracting investment for economic growth and development. Despite daunting challenges faced by the government in this regard, the method yielded some desired results in the area of foreign direct investment, debt clearance for the country among other benefits. It is therefore recommended that the present Nigerian government should maintain the good image of the country in the eyes of the world and make the nation’s investment environment friendly for an overall economic growth and development.
Keywords: Development, Diplomacy, Foreign, Investment and Shuttle
I. INTRODUCTION
Upon Nigeria’s return to democratic government in 1999, the then elected president Olusegun Obasanjo came with a new direction and style in Nigeria’s foreign policy drive in reaction to existing domestic situation and international image of the country. He was motivated by the wave of globalization policy to restructure and reformulate Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives (Idachaba, 2009). The administration embarked on foreign trips referred to as shuttle diplomacy, which took president Obasanjo to several parts of the world. It was rightly printed out that “the resort to frequent traveling by the president was all he has needed to repackage Nigeria for external consumption” (Saliu, 2007. p 406).
Thus, the use of diplomatic tool in relation to attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria started with the economic diplomacy of the late 1980 to early 1990s. This is due largely to the governing consensus among government of industrialized and unindustrialized countries that foreign direct investment is desirable, even essential, to economic growth, poverty reduction and transfer of technology (Danda, 2007:1).
