THE TAC SCHEME AND THE PURSUIT OF NIGERIAS FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

THE TAC SCHEME AND THE PURSUIT OF NIGERIAS FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS





BY




M. M. Yusif
Department of Political Science
Bayero University, Kano




Being a Paper to be presented at 11th Orientation Exercise of TAC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigeria at Aminu Isa Kwantagora Theatre Complex, Makurdi, Benue State on 29th May, 2008



Introduction
Nigeria’s international policy since independence has generally been seen as of continuity and change. The basic principles of Nigerias African policy in particular and for other countries in general was laid down in 1960 and these remain with some amendments to capture local and global political and economic changes.
While in 1960 these principles were the usual respect of sovereign equality of other countries, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, as well as commitment to cooperation as a means of promoting African unity (Aliko 1981:12), the 1979 constitution of the FRN had gone further to set the foreign policy objectives of the Nigerian state thus:
The state shall promote African Unity.
It shall promote the total political, economic, social and cultural liberation of Africa.
To promote all other forms of International cooperation conducive to the consolidation of Universal Peace and mutual respect and friendship among all peoples and states
To combat racial discrimination in all its manifestation.
That was in the constitution of the FRN 1979. In 1999, in view of the changing global environment, the constitution further redefined Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives as:
Promotion and protection of the National interest
Promotion of African integration and support for African Unity;
Promotion of international cooperation for the consolidation of Universal; peace and mutual respect among all nations and elimination of discrimination in all its manifestations.
Respect for international law and treaty obligations as well as the seeking of settlement of international disputes by negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and adjudication; and
Promotion of a just world economic order.
In 1999, as in 1979 or even in the 1960s the question of promotion of international cooperation and solidarity among all nations seems the most important objective of Nigeria’s foreign policy. Successive Nigerian Administrations have not had a single and common practice, yet the trend of Nigeria’s assistance to African countries and others outside the continent show a broad outline of solidarity and cooperation.
In view of the challenges posed by globalisation for development of African Countries the Technical Aids Corp (TAC) has become an important policy instrument for cooperation and even integration of the economies of African countries for self-reliance and less-dependency on corporate organisations and other international agencies. The beneficiaries have sincerely endorsed the TAC as alternative development pills which provide critical "curative medicine" for the promotion of sustainable economic growth and development as well as increased cooperation between Nigeria and ACP countries.
In assessing the extent to which Nigerias inter-state relations with African countries and those in the Caribbean promotes cooperation we shall look into the role of Nigeria through TAC assistance to these countries.
Theoretical Considerations
The theoretical light which guides our analysis is the prospect of south-south cooperation in promoting development of developing economies. The idea is that cooperation between countries in the developing world may go along way to weaken big global interest who control the economies of Third World Countries.
There are four strands of thought which have served as the basis of South-South cooperation since the 1950s.
One is that in the early period of independence there was the rejection of both Western and Eastern models of development as the basis of development and progress of the South. That the Southern countries had traditional solidarity which in the modern context was expressed in many variants of socialism - for example, African Socialism whose values could be adopted to meet the needs of attending to problems of development. As well as by support and various forms of assistance to neighbours in social and economic disaster.
Secondly, the first generation leaders of the South raised to a high level a feeling of moral responsibility to assist a sister country as they painted the Western World as "aggressive, exploitative, materialistic, and racist", whose relationship with the South resulted in many social and economic problems. With their personal efforts these leaders believe that the sky will be their limits. Therefore, numerous bilateral and multilateral groups emerged to meet frustrated social and economic problems of each other.
Thirdly, another theoretical element of the need of intensified South-South cooperation is derived from the idea that economic underdevelopment in the South is essentially the result of domination and exploitation of the economies of the south by the developed countries. This is embodied in various perspectives of dependency and underdevelopment theory which holds that the development and prosperity of the North are the result of the underdevelopment and poverty of the South and vice versa.
Finally, globalisation has produced a unified, global processes - economic, technological, cultural, political and social, which has undermined the capacity of the countries in the south to become independent in the economic and political policies. This is because these processes have planted stronger forces in these countries which continues to push for global marketisation. But courageous inter-state cooperation outside the framework of market is likely to weaken these forces.
The above theoretical perspectives, needless to stress, indicate the thinking and the desire of the countries in the South to cooperate with each other in order for them to find alternative development agenda. But what are the prospects and the problems?
An Overview of Nigeria - TAC Assistance to ACP Countries
In less than a year in office. Precisely on 29 November 1985, President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida made his first major foreign policy statement on the occasion of the patron’s Dinner of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. Here, the president promised a dynamic continuity in two major areas of Nigerias interest: African regional issues which includes any form of assistance to deserving African countries and international affairs.
One way of tackling the case of assistance to deserving African countries was the establishment of TAC in 1986, with a mandate of managing technical assistance programme to developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and pacific. It serves as an instrument of foreign policy in developing and strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and recipient countries.
The major objectives of the TAC are: (1) sharing Nigerias know-how and expertise with other African, Caribbean and pacific countries; (2) giving assistance on the basis of the assessed and perceived needs of the recipient countries; (3) promoting cooperation and understanding between Nigeria and the recipient countries; and (4) facilitating meaningful contacts between the youth of Nigeria and those of the recipient countries (Onoja A. 2000:149).
Since the inception of the scheme, many countries in Africa and the Caribbean have benefited from the programme. it was noted that as at 1998, over 1049 volunteers had participated in the scheme in 21 African countries, five Caribbean states and one pacific region country (ibid : 149)
The Prospect of TAC for Increased South-South Cooperation
In view of significance of inter-state cooperation, it is proper to say that National Policies are the foundations and stimulants for the successful pursuit of development objectives at inter-country-level. This is because, what obtains in one country not only determines the course of development of that country, it also impacts directly or indirectly, favourably or unfavourably, on the form or modality or speed of inter-country or even regional cooperation or integration.
It is very evident that in the history of inter-country relations there are wide range of issues and national policies that become relevant in forging inter-country or regional cooperation. Nigeria has a long history of inter-country cooperation, especially with her neighbours and other countries in West African sub-region. These include giving direct financial assistance, supply of electric power resources, also of food grains to starvation countries, joint river project, etc.
The TAC is one of such National policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria, not only an alternative to direct financial aid to recipient countries, but a vehicle for mutual understanding and cooperation between Nigeria and ACP countries. Because selection is dependent on the recipient countries needs, there is no limit to the professional fields from which volunteers are recruited. Nonetheless, the areas in high demand by receiving states include medicine, nursing, law, general technology, management, teaching, agriculture and journalism
Any analysis of the role of TAC raises Nigeria’s international relations to a new perspective. This is because the TAC cuts across the traditional geographical boundary of cooperation inherited from the colonial period. As areas of cooperation for some time after independence generally tended to follow the economic and political dichotomy between English and French Speaking Countries. One significant feature of these two groups is the unique influence which the cultural, social, economic and political systems of the mother countries have had on these African countries. A glance through the beneficiaries will show diverse ‘economic and cultural background of the countries - e.g. Cape verde, Mozambique, Angola, Suriname, Guyana, Jamaica, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Seychelles, etc.
This has undoubtedly increased the diplomatic space of Nigeria such that there is hardly any African problem in international relations which Nigeria’s opinion is not heard. Secondly, Nigeria always got the support of the beneficiaries whenever it has an interest in any affair in international relation. Thirdly, the programme has promising potentiality of increasing range of economic, political, technological, managerial and other activities between Nigeria and the beneficiaries. Then finally, what do the corps bring home from their areas of service?

Problems of Inter-country Cooperation in Developing Countries
Inter-country cooperation outside a framework of a multilateral regional cooperation and integration is hardly fully documented. This is probably because such cooperation relationships are national policies, therefore do not get the attention of foreign policy analysts quickly. Secondly, such policies like of the TAC has a weak organisational linkage for implementation of the programme, as there might not be any institutionalised body for collection and dissemination of information about the positive and/or negative gains on both the giver and the beneficiaries.
Lack of institutionalised support drawn jointly with the expected beneficiaries naturally would render such programme a philanthropic project aimed as in the case of TAC, promoting not necessarily National interest of the giver but of the leaders. In International Relations Theory, this is far from a realist approach to attain a foreign policy goal.
While there is deficiency of institutional framework, ultimately the inter-country cooperation is not founded on a strategy based on the economic and political structure of these countries. Whereas diverse economic and political structures may be of great importance for diplomatic purpose, but an analysis of the structure of the economies of the giver and the beneficiaries is imperative in order to create a path of future economic integration of the two countries involved.
In a marketised global system the role of the state is expected to pave the way and support increased economic openness between Nigeria and other countries. Therefore, local interests could be empowered and guided to manage this kind of programme. But with a definite regulation on some critical professions.
If this is the case, would such inter-country cooperation of the countries in the developing world tame globalisation and reduce their external dependence as earlier claimed. The fact that this programme is exclusively derived from resources of a developing country channelled to another developing country, even if is subjected to market principle, with a minimum regulation, will prevent market fundamentalism and the interests of global corporate business.
Conclusion
On the basis of the analysis above there is no doubt of the need of cooperation between countries of the South. This will go along way of reducing their external dependence on big corporate powers. The TAC programme by Nigeria is one of such endewavours. It has a great potentiality of increasing the diplomatic power of Nigeria in world politics as well as of economic and cultural benefits. On the other hand the programme has inherent deficiencies which needs attention in order to make it more viable.

References
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FRN (1999) Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
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