The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to deploy their expertise, investments, networks and global experience towards advancing Nigeria’s development.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu made the call at a town hall meeting with Nigerians in the Diaspora in New York on Wednesday evening, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and signed by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the minister, Magnus Eze.
According to the statement, the minister said the presence of the Vice President at the engagement underscored the importance the Federal Government attaches to Nigerians living abroad, their welfare, concerns and contributions to national development.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the Diaspora as an important pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy, stressing that Nigerians abroad should be regarded as strategic partners rather than solely as contributors to the country’s economy through remittances.
“Nigerians abroad are more than a source of remittances. You are professionals, entrepreneurs, academics, innovators and important bridges between Nigeria and the international community,” the minister said.
She reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to citizens diplomacy, which places the Nigerian citizen at the centre of the country’s diplomatic engagements.
