By Ismail Abdulaziz
Nigeria has fulfilled its financial obligations to the African Union (AU) by making full payment of its assessed contributions for the year 2023.
The confirmation was made on Saturday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Adamu Lamuwa, on the sidelines of the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Nairobi, Kenya.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Press, State House on Saturday in Abuja.
Lamuwa explained that the payment demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to its responsibilities as an AU member-state.
He praised President Bola Tinubu for living up to expectations not only as the Chairperson of ECOWAS but also as a President who emphasises prompt payment of financial assessments.
During the Executive Council meeting, the Permanent Secretary shared Nigeria’s stance on the proposed 2024 Budget of the AU.
He welcomed the consideration of the economic outlook of African countries and the execution rate of AU departments and organs, over the past three years, in the budget drafting process.
‘‘Nigeria emphasised the importance of an austerity-driven, results-oriented budget that avoids duplication.
‘‘Accountability and prudent resource management were also highlighted to encourage other member countries to fulfill their financial obligations,’’ he said.
The Permanent Secretary called for synergy among AU organs and departments and requested that the AU Commission (AUC) reduce travel costs by hosting more meetings at its headquarters in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
He also stressed the need for compliance with internal audit processes to ensure transparency and accountability.
Tinubu is scheduled to attend the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting on Sunday in Nairobi, where discussions on other significant matters will take place.
Lamuwa also highlighted that the ministerial-level meeting preceding the Heads of State’s participation adopted the theme of Education for the AU in 2024.
He noted that this aligned with Tinubu’s focus on education as a priority area domestically, making his leadership in Nigeria and ECOWAS timely and beneficial.
Nigeria is one of the major financial contributors to the AU, alongside four other member-states.
The AU’s 2023 budget of $654.8 million US dollars is primarily financed through annual statutory contributions and voluntary contributions from development partners, as well as other miscellaneous income.
Development partners play a crucial role in supporting the AU’s budget, covering at least 67 per cent of the total amount while Member-states, including Nigeria, contribute to the remaining balance of the budget based on the approved scale of assessment by the Executive Council.(NAN)
