Know Your Envoy
hat was your career path leading up to your appointment? I have spent 30 years in the Nigerian Foreign Service having joined in August 1981. My first overseas posting was to Kuwait in 1982 where I served for four years before returning to Nigeria as First Secretary in the Southern African department. In this position, I was essentially a desk officer in charge of the liberation movement – ANC, PAC and SWAPO. Thereafter, I obtained a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy followed by further training in Negotiations and Crisis Management. I assumed various roles in foreign diplomatic missions including Germany, Burkina Faso, France and South Africa. At later stages in my career I was deputy director – Inspectorate Division, Acting Director – European Affairs Division, Director – Consular and Immigration Division, Director of Protocol to the President of the Senate and recently Director – Middle East and Gulf Division at the Foreign Ministry. How did you receive the news of your appointment? My appointment as High Commissioner to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland in January this year was a pleasant surprise. I believe that the government had good reason for appointing someone who is familiar with South Africa. This will surely hold me in good stead in the discharge of my duties. From 1998 to 2003, I was Consul/Head of
Chancery at the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Johannesburg. These were exciting times in the bilateral relations between the two countries, culminating in a strategic partnership through the establishment of the BiNational Commission mechanism.. What are your priorities as High Commissioner to South Africa? Briefly, I have three main priorities: First, to increase the level of investment between the two countries. Several South African companies have invested in Nigeria, but apparently very few black businesses are involved in the mix. I aim to increase the awareness of business opportunities amongst this group of South Africans. Secondly, there is a lack of balance in our investment and business relationships as there are very few Nigerian companies that have penetration in the South African business environment, seemingly due to institutional regulatory barriers. There have been indications for several years that these impediments would be addressed but not much has changed. For instance, there are only two Nigerian banks here namely First Bank and Union Bank. In spite of being here since 1999, they are yet to be granted retail licences and yet South African banks have unencumbered access in the Nigerian economic space. I am keen to address the issue of such imbalances and finally my role is to serve and protect the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians living in South Africa.
How would you describe your knowledge of Nigerians living in South Africa? I interacted with them a great deal during my tenure as the Consul/Head of Chancery in Johannesburg. There are numerous professionals in academia, medicine, ICT, financial sector and business. There are also a number of Nigerians in the informal sector of the economy. The government recognises the importance of Diaspora and has established a Diaspora Commission. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) which has representation here and worldwide has become the foremost organisation that the government works with. However, Nigerians are free to form other social cultural associations whom we will also engage for as long as they are lawfully constituted and observe the laws of our host. Tell us more about yourself, your interests and future plans. I am a Pan-Africanist Christian and chronic optimist. I am married with four children who are all students. I have varied culinary taste, a connoisseur of good wine and a lover of jazz music. I enjoy travelling, reading and sports. Given my interest in ICT, I am also a Microsoft Certified Programmer. I do not have the temperament for active and elective politics and hence rather than seeking office, I will probably be involved in enterprise and philanthropy when I eventually retire from diplomatic service. - Keith Kundai
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