Recalling Diplomats in International Relations: The Case of Nigeria-South African Ties
‘Recall,’inEnglishlanguageandininternationalrelations hasspecificmeaning.AstheOxfordAdvanced Learner’sDictionaryhasit,‘recall’simplymeans‘to remember.’Inthisregard,‘recall’isusedasaverband initsformalsense.Forinstance,‘ifyourecallcorrectly, thiscolumnwaspublishedlastweek.’‘Recall’canalso meanmakingsomeonethinkofsomething,suchas‘the electionofGeneralMuhammaduBuhariafterthree failedattempts‘recalls’theneedforperseveranceinnation-buildingefforts’.Athird meaningof‘recall’is‘toordersomebodytoreturn,’suchasrecallingofdiplomatists bysendingStatesfromthereceivingstates.Recallingdiplomatsisverycommon ininternationalrelations.Fourthly,‘recall’isalsoaboutaskingfor‘somethingto bereturnedoftenbecausethereissomethingwrongwithit’.Forinstance,‘the companyhasrecalledallthefaultyhair-dryers’.Inthesamevein,‘recall’canalso beusedasa‘noun.’Inthisregard,itmeans‘theabilitytoremembersomethingthat youhavelearnedorsomethingthathashappenedinthepast,suchasin“shehas amazingpowers.
‘Recall,’inEnglishlanguageandininternationalrelationshasspecificmeaning. AstheOxfordAdvancedLearner’sDictionaryhasit,‘recall’simplymeans‘to remember.’Inthisregard,‘recall’isusedasaverbandinitsformalsense.For instance,‘ifyourecallcorrectly,thiscolumnwaspublishedlastweek.’‘Recall’can alsomeanmakingsomeonethinkofsomething,suchas‘theelectionofGeneral MuhammaduBuhariafterthreefailedattempts‘recalls’theneedforperseverance innation-buildingefforts’.Athirdmeaningof‘recall’is‘toordersomebodyto return,’suchasrecallingofdiplomatistsbysendingStatesfromthereceivingstates. Recallingdiplomatsisverycommonininternationalrelations.Fourthly,‘recall’is alsoaboutaskingfor‘somethingtobereturnedoftenbecausethereissomething wrongwithit’.Forinstance,‘thecompanyhasrecalledallthefaultyhair-dryers’.
Inthesamevein,‘recall’canalsobeusedasa‘noun.’Inthisregard,itmeans ‘theabilitytoremembersomethingthatyouhavelearnedorsomethingthathas happenedinthepast,suchasin“shehasamazingpowersofrecall,’orrememberingsomethingimmediately.Perhapsmostimportantly,‘recall’initssingularform, means‘anofficialorderorrequestforsomebodyorsomethingtoreturnorfor somethingtobegivenback.’Thedictionarygivestheexamplesof‘Thomas’s‘recall’ totheWelshteam’and‘Beyondrecall’meaningimpossibilitytoremember.
Thus,thethirdandfourthmeaningof‘recall’asaverb,aswellasthesecond meaningof‘recall’asanoun,whichisaboutgivinganorderforsomebodyor somethingtobereturned,aredirectlyrelevanttotheconceptof‘recall’ininternationalrelations.Fromvariousempiricalcases,‘recall’isgenerallyaboutdirectiveby asendingstatetoitsprincipalrepresentativeinareceivingstatetocomebackhome forundefinedpurpose.Ifanactofrecalltakesplacewithintheframeworkofwarm bilateralties,‘recall’ishardlytakenseriouslybutwhenbilateraltiesarefraughtwith crisesandcooperationsimultaneously, theactofrecallingbecomesproblematic.
RecallasanOrdertoReturn
‘Recall’asanorderisonlyapplicableattwolevelsininternationalrelations: exequaturforConsulsGeneralandagrémentforPrincipalEnvoys,onthe hand;andrecognitionasanaccrediteddiplomatinareceivingState,onthe other.Atthelevelofexequaturandagrément,noConsulGeneralorAmbassadororHighCommissionerorHighRepresentativeorPapalNuncioscan assumeofficeasHeadofDiplomaticMissioninareceivingStateifheorshe hadnotbeengivenanexequaturwhichisconsent‘toacceptandrelatewith’for consularstafforagrémentwhichisalso‘consenttorelatewith’fordiplomatic envoys.
Forinstance,theappointmentofconsularstaffissubjecttomanyconditions: areceivingStatecaninsiston‘reasonableandnormal’sizeofmission(Article 20ofthe1963ViennaConventiononConsularRelations);appointmentof acitizenofthereceivingStateissubjecttotheapprovalofthereceivingState (Article22(2);theMinistryofForeignAffairsofthereceivingStatemustalsobe notifiedofanyappointmentof“membersofaconsularpost,theirarrivalafter appointmenttotheconsularpost,theirfinaldepartureortheterminationof theirfunctionsandanyotherchangesaffectingtheirstatus...”Putmoresuccinctly,Article12says‘theheadofaconsularpostisadmittedtotheexerciseof hisfunctionsbyanauthorisationfromthereceivingstatetermedan‘exequatur’ whatevertheformofthisauthorisation.
Atthediplomaticlevel,Article4ofthe1961ViennaConventionon DiplomaticRelationssays“thesendingStatemustmakecertainthattheagrémentofthereceivingstatehasbeengivenforthepersonitproposestoaccredit asheadofthemissiontothatstate.”Moreimportantly,Article4(2)provides that‘thereceivingStateisnotobligedtogivereasonstothesendingStatefora refusalofagrément.Again,Article9providesthat‘thereceivingStatemayat anytimeandwithouthavingtoexplainitsdecision,notifythesendingstate thattheHeadofMissionoranymemberofthediplomaticstaffofthemission ispersonanon-grataorthatanyothermemberofthestaffofthemissionisnot acceptable.”WhatisalsousefulatthisjunctureistheprovisionofArticle17of the1963ConsularConventionwhichstatesthat“inastatewherethesending statehasnodiplomaticmissionandisnotrepresentedbyadiplomaticmission ofathirdState,aconsularofficermay,withtheconsentofthereceivingstate,and withoutaffectinghisconsularstatus,beauthorisedtoperformdiplomaticacts ...”Asweshallsoonseebelow,Nigeriamaintainsbothdiplomaticandconsular missionsinSouthAfricaandbothHeadsofMissionswererecalledsimultaneously.Whyisitso?
Inessence,itisnotpossibletoorderanyconsularordiplomaticstafffroma posttoreturnifsuchstaffhadnotbeenofficiallyaccreditedtothepostandalso officiallysorecognisedbythereceivingState.Itisonlyonthisbasisthatthere canbeabasisforrecallandthattheactofrecallingcaneitherbeasourceofbetter understandingormisunderstanding.
Purpose of Recall
Thepurposeofrecallingone’sConsulGeneralorPrincipalRepresentative canbemulti-dimensionalinscope.However,threereasonsarenoteworthy. First,recallingofaconsularordiplomaticofficercanbeforconsultationor preliminaryinformationgatheringbeforetakingfurtherdecision.Actof recall,moreoftenthannot,generallyfollowsabadsituationwithserious implicationsorperceivedthreatstotheinterestsoftherecallingState. Additionally,forthepurposeofa tête-à-tête, recallingone’sstaffiscommonin internationalpractice.Secondly,theactofrecallingcanalsobeanexpression ofprotest.Letuslookattheexampleofseveranceofrelationshipbetween CanadaandIranin2012.Canada’sForeignMinister,JohnBaird,seizedthe opportunityofhisvisittoRussiatoannouncethedecisionoftheCanadian governmenttodeclareIran’sdiplomatsinCanadapersonaenongrata andtoalso‘recall’theCanadiandiplomatsinTeheran.AsnotedbyDaniel SchwartzinCBCNewspostedonSeptember8,2012,‘Baird’sstatementlists aseriesofoldgrievancesbutdoesnotsaywhatspecificallypromptedthe surprisemove.Hedidsay“theIranianregimehasshownblatantdisregard forthe‘ViennaConventionanditsguaranteeofprotectionfordiplomatic personnel,’likelyareferencetotheransackingoftheBritishEmbassyin Tehranbyprotestersin2011whileIranianpolicelookedon’Mr.Bairdalso raisedtheissueofsafetyofCanadiandiplomats,which,heconsidered,has beenalong-standingconcern.InthewordsofBaird,‘theMissioninTeheran isnotoneofthesafestwehave...Itfacesabusyroadanditcouldbeoverrun prettyquickly.”
Theessenceoftheforegoingistoshowcasethepointthatrecallingofa diplomatisgenerallyaresultantofaconcernorthreatbytherecallingstate.It isamatterof‘thereisnosmokewithoutfire’.Itisalsogenerallyforanundisclosedpurpose.Forinstance,whileJaniceSteinoftheMunkSchoolargued that‘Canada’sdecisiontobreakdiplomaticrelationswithIranwasnotin responsetospecificintelligenceaboutanimminentmilitarystrikeagainst Iran,”JamesDevineoftheMountAllisonUniversityinSackville,N.B. submittedthatCanadamightbetryingtosend‘asymbolicmessagetoIran aftertheNon-AlignedMovementmeetingthattheyshouldnotconclude thattheirisolationisoverorthattheycanescapewesternpressure.”Thus, onlyCanadacanexplaintherealreasonfortherecallofitsambassadors.
Thirdly,ifagovernment,forwhateverreasonsbutparticularly,incases whereadiplomatisperceivedtohaveactedinamannerincompatible withhis/herstatus,decidestodeclareadiplomatoraconsulapersona non-grata,thesendingstatecannotbutbecompelledtorecallitsofficer.In thiscase,theactofrecallingisneitherforconsultation,norforprotestbutby forcemajeure.Ifthereisrecall,therecanalsobeareciprocalreaction,especially inespionagecases.Hence,thepossibilityofareciprocalrecallexists.Inall casesofrecall,thereareatleastthreemaindynamics:consultation,protest andforcemajeure.Inthisregard,isNigeria’sdecisionto‘invite’or‘recall’the country’sConsulGeneralandActingHighCommissionerinSouthAfrica anexpressionofprotest,consultationorbyforcemajeure?
Nigerianophobia and Recall of Envoys
TheGovernmentofNigeriahasbeenmonitoringthepatternof NigerianophobicattitudestowardslegallyresidingNigeriansinSouth Africaandhasdecidedto‘invite’itsenvoystoSouthAfricafor“consultation.”Thisisnormaldiplomaticpractice.Althoughtheactofinvitationisnot inanywaydifferentfromanactofrecalling,theconstantpointisthatthereis alwaysacriticalconcernpromptingtheneedtoinviteorrecallforwhatever purpose.Forinstance,onApril8,2015,Mr.JacobHerculesVonMolendorff leftacomplimentarycardatNigeria’sMissionGuestHouselocatedatNo.6 BoltonRoad,RosebankinJohannesburg.Clearlywrittenatthebackofthe cardwas:‘leaveourcountry’.ThecardhadtheparticularsofMr.Molendorff: 07417777jakeatm@gmail.com.Thiswasnothingmorethanadirectthreat totheNigerianmissiononbehalfofallNigeriansinSouthAfrica.Aswould berequiredofanycompetent,loyalandpatrioticForeignServiceOfficer,this threatwasbroughttotheattentionoftheHomeOffice,BalewaHouse,in Abuja.
Secondly,theNigerianUnioninSouthAfrica,notonlycomplainedto theNigerianHighCommissioninIllovo,Rosebank,initsletterofApril21, 2015,that‘xenophobicattackswereorchestratedagainstNigerianbusinesses andfamiliesandNigerianshavelosttheirlivelihoodsandalsofamilies havebeendisplaced,’butalsoaskedtheNigeriaHighCommissiontoassist the‘NigerianUnionKwazulu-Nataltodemandforcompensationforthe Nigerianbusinessesaffectedduringthexenophobicattacks’.TheNigerian governmentmustrespondbyfirstseekinginformationfromitsenvoys, hencetheneedforrecall.
Thirdly,theNigerianUnionin‘SouthAfricaalsonotedinanotherletter addressedtotheConsulateGeneralofNigeriainJohannesburgthat“the hostilityagainstNigeriansandotherAfricanNationalsisperceivedby manyforeignnationalstobeanagendaofthegovernment.”Thisperception mayberightorwrong.Whatisimportant,however.isthatthevictimsof xenophobicattacks,andparticularlytheNigeriannationals,donothave confidenceintheSouthAfricanpoliceintermsofprotectionofforeigners, andarethereforeseekingdiplomaticandconsularprotectionbytheir government.Forinstance,onApril8,2015theAfricanSolidarityCoalition appliedforpermissiontoorganise‘amarchagainstthexenophobia.’A permitwasgrantedbutthepolicepreventeditfromholdingbystopping peoplefromleavingtheircommunities.They‘attackedthemarchwithtear gas,watercannonsandrubberbullets.’
Fourthly,theSouthAfricanMinistryofHomeAffairshaddirectedits MissionsinNigeriaandGhanatorestrictthenumberofvisaapprovalsto applicantsinthetwocountries.Besides,SouthAfricanwomenwhoare marriedtoNigeriansinSouthAfricaarealwaysdiscriminatedagainst.And perhapsmostdisturbingly,thefrequencyofextra-judicialkillingofNigerians bytheSouthAfricanpolice,mainlybecauseNigeriansalwaysrefusetobe extorted,andthefactthatthereishardlyrecordofarrestorprosecutionofthe killer-policemenevenuntilnow,cannotbutbeenoughareasontorecallone’s envoysforconsultation,especiallyifNigeriansinSouthAfricaare consideringlegitimateself-defencemeasures.
Withoutwhiffofdoubt,aforeignerseekingtheapplicationoftheprinciple oflegitimateself-defenceinaxenophobicenvironmenthasfailedabinitio. Onthebasisofprivateinternationallaw,itisonlywhenallavenuestoseek redresshavebeenexhaustedandthatthereisevidenceofdenialofjusticethat therecanbeagoodbasisfordiplomaticprotection.SincetheNigerianvictims ofxenophobiainSouthAfricaarenotdiplomaticagents,thebestthingtodo foranygoodgovernmentistorecallitsofficersforconsultation.Ambassador AminuWaliandhis officersinSouthAfrica,particularlyAmbassadorUche Ajulu-Okeke,ConsulGeneralandMr.MartinsCobham,theActingHigh Commissioner,havedoneverywellandshouldbespeciallycommended fordemonstrationofprofessionalcompetenceandpatriotism.
Whenthexenophobicattacksbegan,theNigerianMissionpromptly linkedupwiththeNetworkofNigeriansinSouthAfrica;itaddressedNigeriansinDurban,urgingthemtoavoidretaliatoryattacks;itdiscussedthe threatstoNigerianswiththeMinisterofHomeAffairs,Mr.MalusoGigaba, aswellaswiththePremierofKwazuluNatal,Mr.SensoMchunu,andthe ProvincialPoliceCommissioner,Mr.B.M.Ngobeni.InfacttheNigerian MissionalsovisitedNigerianshopsthatwerelootedinJohannesburg.
Consequently,fromtheforegoing,thereisaverygoodbasisforthe GovernmentofNigeriatorecallitsenvoysforwhateverpurposeagainst thebackgroundofNigerianophobiainSouthAfrica.Thereisnoneedfor theGovernmentofSouthAfricaengaginginhide-and-seekdiplomacyby quarrellingwiththemotivesoftherecallofNigerianenvoys.
TheOftenNeglectedTruth
Nigeria-SouthAfricanrelationsarelikelytoremaindifficultinthenear futureformanyreasons.First,manySouthAfricansarestillwrappedup inthegloryoftheachievementsofwhiteSouthAfricans,whichenables SouthAfricatohaveanedgeoverallotherAfricancountriesintermsof industrialdevelopment.BlackSouthAfricanswronglyassumesuperiority, notknowingthatablackmanisablackman.EventhoughJamesNgugi hasarguedthata‘WhitemanisalwaysaWhiteman,butaBlackmanisnot alwaysaBlackman’,atrueNigerianbyiussanguinis,alwaysremainsa Nigerian.Nigeriansoftenquarrelbackhomebutoftenreuniteabroad.For example,theNigerianDoctorsForuminSouthAfricapromptlyorganiseda donationofreliefmaterialstotheNigerianvictimsofxenophobia.Nigerians arenotlikelytosubscribetoanysupremacistclaimsoranyrenewalof apartheidinwhateverforminanypartofAfrica.Secondly,SouthAfricais seekingtoreplaceNigeriabywhatevermeansasaleaderinAfrica.Until now,therearetwocompetingleadersinAfrica:NigeriaandFrance.Nigeria isself-appointedadvocateandprotectorofAfricaninterests.Franceisalsoa self-appointedadvocateofAfrica’sinterestandhasbeenthemainprotector ofNATOinterestsinAfrica.Thirdly,thedevelopedcountrieswantSouth AfricatobeaPermanentMemberoftheUNSCbutdeveloplukewarm attitudetowardsNigeria’scandidature.Fourthlyandmostimportantly, SouthAfricadoesnotwanttoacceptNigeria’scriticalcontributiontothe anti-apartheidstruggle,mainlybecauseoftheinterestofthewhiteminority whichcontrolstheeconomy.Theseissuesmustfirstbeaddressedtopave wayforabetterunderstandingbetweenthetwocountries.