The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s sovereignty, emphasizing that its relationship with the country is based on mutual respect and long-standing cooperation, not on the influence of external powers.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, made this clear in Lagos during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. His remarks followed recent statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened potential action against Nigeria over alleged anti-Christian violence.
Mignot said the EU’s approach is guided by solidarity and shared values rather than the rhetoric of other nations. “Our position is one of solidarity with Nigeria, solidarity with victims of violence, with authorities working to protect citizens, and with the Nigerian people who overwhelmingly desire peaceful coexistence beyond ethnic and religious divides,” he stated.
The ambassador reiterated that the Union and its member states fully respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional principles, particularly its stance on religious neutrality.
Peacebuilding and human rights cooperation
According to Mignot, the EU is committed to deepening its collaboration with Nigeria in peacebuilding, human rights, and interfaith dialogue. He noted that the bloc is currently implementing several peacebuilding initiatives across the country and will continue to support programmes on deradicalization, demobilization, and reintegration of former members of armed groups in the North-East.
“The EU’s support is inclusive and non-discriminatory, covering all victims of violence irrespective of the motives,” Mignot said. “We also back civil society organisations promoting interfaith dialogue and good relations among religious communities.”
He acknowledged that Nigeria still faces challenges in protecting human rights and ensuring freedom of religion. However, he stressed that the country has a constitutional framework that provides for fundamental freedoms and a basis for continued progress.
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“The situation is not perfect, as in any country, but there exists a constitutional basis for the protection of human rights,” he noted. “It is up to Nigerian authorities and society as a whole to uphold and strengthen this environment of peaceful coexistence.”
Commitment to stability and partnership
Mignot explained that the EU’s cooperation with Nigeria is not driven by the actions or opinions of other global players but by a shared interest in maintaining a stable, prosperous, and democratic Nigeria.
“The EU’s engagement with Nigeria remains steady and predictable,” he said. “Our focus is on strengthening peace, security, and economic development, not reacting to outside pressure.”
He revealed that a peace, security, and defence dialogue between Nigeria and the EU is expected soon to deepen strategic cooperation.
Concluding, the ambassador reaffirmed that the EU’s guiding principle is to help Nigeria reinforce stability and prosperity, adding that the country’s future “lies firmly in the hands of Nigerians themselves.”
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