ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF TECHNICAL AID CORPS AS A FOREIGN POLICY TOOL

ABSTRACT

. The Technical Aid Corps Scheme is conceived by the Federal Government of Nigeria as an instrument of economic diplomacy. The ultimate aim of the programme is to promote Nigerias economic interest and boost her image in the comity of nations. However, despite the huge investment, Nigeria has not leveraged on the opportunities provided by TAC as a

policy instrument to harvest economic and other dividends from the recipient states. The aim of the study therefore is to assess the scheme with a view to making appropriate

recommendations. Frequency Analysis was used in analyzing data for the research.

A total of eighty five (85) Questionnaires were administered to staff in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Technical Aid Corps whose responses formed the

basis of analysis. Although the study has highlighted a lot of prospects and opportunities for the Scheme, factors such as poor funding, lack of adequate technical skills, and  poor

planning among others, pose serious   challenges. In order to address this, the researcher has recommended adequately funding the scheme to fully meet up with its responsibilities, among other recommendations.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Aid has been considered by Nigerian leaders as an effective instrument of foreign policy. Initially, the policy was primarily focused on Nigeria’s immediate neighbours and Africa in general. By the late 1980s, Nigeria shifted emphasis in her foreign policy direction more towards technical assistance to needy nations, not just in Africa, but also in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, with the establishment of Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme in 1987 (Fage, 2012). The shift was part of Nigeria’s commitment to the call for South-South Cooperation.

The Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme is conceived as a special programme which provides Nigeria with the opportunity to share its know-how and expertise, based on already- assessed and perceived needs of the recipient countries. The programme involves the deployment of Nigerian graduates in the fields of Medicine, Nursing, Education, Engineering, Agriculture, Accountancy and other related fields to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries for a period of two years under mutually agreed terms. The Scheme serves as a complement to direct financial assistance to ACP countries, as a way of fostering and deepening international understanding and enhancing continental integration. According to Jinadu (2011), the Scheme is mutually owned and there are no conditionalities attached to it, but just a case of one developing country assisting another.

The Scheme has had presence in forty-three ACP countries and over fifteen thousand Nigerians have been availed the opportunity of this international exposure and professional enhancement (Osunyikanmi, 2014). Jinadu (2011) opines that the Scheme is one of the best examples of successful South-South cooperation, which countries within the region need to build upon to foster bilateral relationship, spread knowledge and unlock their potential through skills exchange. According to Akpuru-Aja (2006), the Scheme is a brain-child of Nigeria’s economic diplomacy. Economic assistance has been the main driving policy instrument used in setting up the Scheme.  Such assistance envisages greater mutually beneficial economic and trade exchanges with the ACP countries.  Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps is, therefore, an instrument of Nigeria’s economic diplomacy. By extension, it complements diplomatic linkages between Nigeria and the ACP countries as well as creates necessary conditions for mutually beneficial economic relations.

Since the Scheme started in 1987, under the Directorate of the Technical Aid Corps (DTAC) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), over 15,000 volunteers have been deployed to over 43 ACP countries. At the moment over 20 ACP countries are benefitting what is regarded by some as the only viable and sustainable scheme of its kind operated by an African country (Osunyikanmi, 2014). Daura (2012) notes that the TAC Scheme has fostered meaningful contacts between Nigerian volunteers and citizens of recipient countries in a manner that has led not only to lasting official and interpersonal relationships but also promoted the principles and ideals of non-aligned South-South collaboration.

1.2        Statement of the Research Problem

Clearly, foreign policy implementation of any state should be intended to promote its interest among the comity of nations and should not be a ‘Father Christmas’ like posture of gift giving. In our argument, Nigeria’s foreign policy posture through the activities of the TAC should be directed mainly to actualize and enhance its interest and preferences in a subtle manner and as a soft power instrument. Thus, it is appropriate to begin this discussion by establishing possible connection between the activities of TACs and Nigeria’s success or failure in winning elective positions at the level of the AU. Hence, the associated benefits of

TAC as regards Nigeria’s position or interest in regional affairs is not clear or cannot be adequately proven despite the huge funds allocated to the scheme by the Nigerian government.

 The ultimate objective of the Technical Aid Corps Scheme is to promote Nigeria’s economic interest, better the lots of her citizens, and boost her image in the comity of nations.  Despite the successes recorded in TAC as a Scheme, Nigeria has not leveraged on the opportunities provided by TAC as a policy instrument to harvest economic and other dividends from the recipient States.  The economic benefits that the policy envisages are hardly noticed or felt. An effective mechanism ought to have been established by Nigeria to leverage on the Scheme to derive economic and other benefits. This study assesses Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps as an instrument of Foreign Policy with, a view to making recommendations for implementation.

 

1.3       Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of this study is to assess Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) as an instrument of foreign policy, with a view to making recommendations for implementation. The specific objectives are:

1. to examine the extent to which the Nigeria’s TAC Scheme has served as an instrument of foreign policy;
2. to ascertain the mechanisms emplaced by the Nigerian government to derive foreign policy benefits through the platform of TAC;
3. to examine the achievement and challenges of the Nigeria’s TAC scheme as an instrument of foreign policy.

1.4        Research Questions

To address the research problem, the study poses the following questions:

1. To what extent is the Nigeria’s TAC Scheme an instrument of foreign policy?
2. What mechanisms have the Nigerian government emplaced to derive foreign policy benefits through the platform of the TAC Scheme?
3. What are the achievements and challenges of the TAC as an instrument of foreign policy?
4. What recommendations and implementation plan can be put in place to ensure that Nigeria derives foreign policy benefits through the TAC Scheme?
   • Research Assumptions

In practical terms, the Technical Aid Corps scheme operates on biennial basis. Individual volunteers are therefore expected to mandatorily serve for 24 months in their respective countries of deployment. The Technical Aid Corps   operates through the concept of legal instrument referred to as TAC country agreement. The agreement represents the legal framework, which spells out the obligations and responsibilities of both Nigeria and the recipient countries. The operation of the scheme in any recipient country is largely predicated on the signing of this agreement. It is however pertinent to point out that deployment of volunteers to the recipient countries is strictly based on the assessed and perceived needs of the States more especially as one of the main goals and objectives of the scheme is to compliment the socio-economic development of the beneficiary countries. The scheme draws from the large pool of Nigeria’s well-trained manpower to provide volunteers requested by these countries. Since inception in 1987, volunteers have served in countries in Africa, Caribbean and pacific States.

• Scope Limitations of the Study

The study focuses on Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps with particular reference to the extent to which it has served as an instrument of economic diplomacy since its establishment in 1987 and the mechanism emplaced to realise this objective. It also examines the challenges and prospects of the Scheme as an instrument of economic diplomacy. The time frame of the study is 1987 – 2019.

The major limitation to this study was the researcher’s inability to visit one or two of the ACP countries to interview the officials and volunteers on the mechanism of the Scheme as an instrument of economic diplomacy. Nevertheless, the researcher had unstructured interview with two ex-volunteers added with information from books and journals, a wide range of related literature and the extensive use of the internet sources were used to overcome the limitations.

• Significance of the Study

The findings would draw the attention of policy makers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the need for an effective mechanism to open up more opportunities for the promotion of Nigeria’s interests through the Scheme. Findings from the study would also contribute to existing knowledge on the topic and provide material for further research for students of International Relations and other social sciences as well as other interested individuals. This is because works on the issue focus on the various perspectives of TAC as a tool of South-South coorporation. This research analysis the challenges and prospect of the scheme.

• Definition of Terms
  • Technical Aid Corps

According to Daura (2006) The Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps Scheme is a foreign policy tool established by the Federal Government in 1987. As a policy instrument of Nigeria’s foreign policy, the TAC programme is an alternative to direct financial aid to ACP countries. It is designed, not only to provide manpower assistance in the fields of human endeavour, but also to represent a practical demonstration enhancement of Nigeria’s image abroad and the effort to boost her influence in the comity of nations through service or contributions of her citizens to the development of other countries.

• Foreign Policy

Foreign policy (FP) is the primary method by which a country pursues its national interests in the external domain. It consists of decisions or actions taken by states to realize those interests (Mbachu, 2007 in Eze, 2009). FP, according to Frankel (1963), is a segment of public policy, concerned with how states relate with one another, international organisations as well as with changes in the global environment. Similarly, according to Satow (1962), FP refers to all the policies adopted by a state in relating with the outside world.

• Tools of Foreign Policy

Foreign Policy Tools generally accepted in international relations include Diplomacy, Defense and Intelligence, Sanctions, Foreign Aid, Trade, and Global Environmental Policy. In other worlds all nations must have the skill of managing international relations through their representatives abroad. Similarly, Foreign Aid either in cash or kind is a tool used by countries to support global peace, security provide humanitarian relief in times of crisis. The recent advocacy on climate change further underscores the essence of global environmental policy as a foreign policy tool. The adoption of defense and intelligence by countries further provides necessary information which serves as a form of security to countries and helps in in protecting its image and territorial integrity.

 

 

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF TECHNICAL AID CORPS AS A FOREIGN POLICY TOOL

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