EUROPEAN UNION
By Olamilekan Abayomi
The European Union has reaffirmed its respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and commitment to strengthening cooperation in peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and human rights protection. EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, emphasized that the EU’s position is guided by its long-standing partnership with Nigeria, rather than external influences.
The EU is ready to enhance its support in peace, security, and defense matters, as well as through dialogue with all stakeholders, including civil society organizations and traditional and religious leaders. Mignot assured that the EU would continue to implement several peacebuilding initiatives across the country to promote peaceful coexistence. These initiatives include supporting programs on deradicalization, demobilization, and reintegration of ex-members of non-state armed groups in the North-East.
The EU remains committed to protecting all communities, especially minorities, with freedom of religion and belief. Mignot stressed that the EU’s support is non-discriminatory, covering all victims of violence irrespective of motives. A peace, security, and defense dialogue between Nigeria and the EU is expected soon to deepen strategic cooperation.
Mignot acknowledged that Nigeria faces challenges in human rights and freedom of religion, but its legal and institutional framework provides for fundamental freedoms. He emphasized that Nigeria’s stability and prosperity ultimately depend on Nigerians themselves, stating that the country’s future “lies firmly in the hands of Nigerians themselves.
In response to US President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria, the EU has distanced itself, reiterating its respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional commitment to religious neutrality. The EU’s engagement with Nigeria remains steady and predictable, driven by shared interests in a stable, prosperous, and democratic Nigeria.
