By Chidimma Okwara,
International relations experts have urged Nigeria and Africa to embrace China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) to promote more equitable and inclusive global development. This call was made during a one-day seminar in Abuja focused on the “Opportunities for China-Africa Cooperation under the GGI.”
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What is GGI? The GGI is a framework proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping to reform the current global governance system, which many experts believe is unequal and favors a few dominant powers. The initiative aims to create a more just and inclusive global order by giving a greater voice to the Global South in decision-making bodies like the UN Security Council and international financial institutions.
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Speakers at the seminar, including the Counselor at the Embassy of China in Nigeria, Dong Hairong, and several Nigerian scholars, criticized the existing global system for its inherent inequality and the impunity of major powers. They argued that the exclusion of voices from the majority of the world leads to a “deficit in global governance.”
Experts highlighted that the GGI aligns with Nigeria’s push for fairness and inclusive development. By leveraging the initiative, Nigeria can enhance its global relevance, drive economic growth, and deepen its long-standing partnership with China in areas such as industrialization, technology, and infrastructure.
Call to Action: The seminar’s participants emphasized that rhetoric must give way to action. They proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-China joint committee on the GGI to develop concrete action plans and exchange expertise. They also urged Nigeria to strengthen its domestic institutions and implement internal reforms to be in a better position to benefit from global initiatives like the GGI.
