By Silver Nwokoro

The Institute of public diplomacy, UK has pledged to collaborate with Nigeria’s Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) to design and deliver courses in legislative drafting and parliamentary diplomacy.

In the letter of intent signed by the Director of the Institute, Dr. O. Weretelnik and the Secretary of ALDRAP, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, they stressed that despite increasing knowledge on public diplomacy, it is still insufficient and further studies are indispensable to establish a platform for development of a new approach to the parliamentary diplomacy concept that can include actions by non‐state actors.

The Institute and ALDRAP agreed to conduct joint multidisciplinary evidence-based research in the field of public diplomacy, with a particular focus on the role of non-government actors in parliamentary diplomacy.

In the letter, both parties agreed to areas of collaboration that may include but are not limited to research in public diplomacy and legislative drafting.

“Both parties agree that each may publish or advertise the existence and nature of activity under this letter of intent. Nothing in this agreement shall be construed as confidential. Where relevant, stakeholders from the knowledge/science institutions and from the Business/Private Sector will be involved in this process.

“Both parties will use reasonable effort to timely obtain any required permits (regulatory approvals/authorizations), and all activities under this letter, which are contingent on obtaining the same and if required, must be obtained prior to the initiation of the pertinent activity.

“This letter of intent shall not create binding obligations under either domestic or international law,” they agreed.