Posted by TheBlackList on January 29, 2009 at 9:37pm
CITING a lack of conceptual clarity surrounding the United States African Command (AFRICOM), Nigeria says it will be in the long term strategic interest of Abuja and Washington if the new administration of Barack Obama, instead, gives a firm backing to the idea of the African Standby Force (ASF) being put together by the African Union (AU) to deal with political crises on the continent.
Nigeria also wants the various existing multi-sectoral bilateral agreements to be implemented in order to boost relations between the two countries.
This, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, is a potent way to give life to President Obama's inaugural statement, where he extended a genuine hand of co-operation to the outside world.
Paraphrasing the Bible, President Obama had said: "... Let's put aside childish things..."
Speaking on Monday at the American Centre for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) in his last assignment in the U.S. for the Federal Government's team to Obama's inauguration, Maduekwe said: "The African Standby Forces have not been receiving the support that we envisaged from our development partners like the U.S., so we can intervene, move in whenever democracy is under siege. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo did that in Sao Tome and Principe.
"The Obasanjo model may not be followed now because unlike Sao Tome, Conakry, Guinea is far from Nigeria. But with a Standby Force, the African Army can move in. It will be indigenous, not seen as imperialistic like AFRICOM as being perceived now...that breeds suspicion.
"Nigeria remains very muscular in engaging the problem of Zimbabwe. Our presence in Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, now Darfur is a testimony to our capacity... We are looking at Somalia now..."
Responding to the charge during the conference by the Director, Africa Programme of the CSIS, Jennifer Cooke, for a frank dialogue between Nigeria and the U.S., Maduekwe said: "Before today, there have been a series of memorandum of understanding between Nigeria and your country. There have been past agreements covering almost all the sectors, but nothing happens... No, the era of you digging the oil, counting the money and giving it to us will not work in 2009.
"United States oil companies in Nigeria are creating jobs for their nationals and other citizens far away instead of in Nigeria. And we are now asking: What kind of tax rebate do the U.S. companies require to get into that, to get into genuine partnership with Nigeria? These are the issues.
"In moving from generalities to specifics, there must be an abiding commitment to partnership. Unless there is deep infrastructural push in Nigeria in the area of power, we will still remain talkers in this new era. For instance, the General Electric Company (GEC) must look at Nigeria, invest in its power and make money. Then, we are in business".
The federal delegation to the U.S. was two-dimensional. It included former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, as well as Ambassadors George Obiozor, Jibril Chinade and Oladapo Fafowora. Together with the minister, they met with sundry lobby groups and blocks such as Motherland Association of USA, the National Small Towns Alliance, the World Alliance of Mayors and a member of the powerful black congressional, Marcia Fudge.
Maduekwe further met with Congressman Redham, the chairman of the U.S. Congressional African sub-committee, Senator Donald Paine and Howard Berman.
Reviewing the job of the Nigerian Mission to the Obama inauguration in Washington DC before returning at the weekend, Maduekwe said: "We have said that there is no time to waste. The visibility for the Nigerian agenda has been achieved and of course, we do carry the privilege of also speaking for Africa. We are delighted to observe that the new Obama administration will give a very worthy strategic access to issues concerning the continent.
"The best way of addressing the issues is to give Africa more strategic and comprehensive response to all the issues - health, infrastructural development, among others. Putting aside childish things calls for a more adult relationship with Africa. It is time to move from generalities to specifics. At this stage of our evolution, nobody should be lecturing us about how to deal with issues like democracy. Even in elections, we are making progress.
"What happened in Ghana is a good indication that Africa is making progress in the area of democratic transition, including at home in Nigeria. So we have moved from those basic elementary things.
"What is the content of the relationship with Africa that can create wealth and ensure that the infrastructure are there and create a better international world order and ensure that the tremendous energies of African people, the entrepreneurial spirit of African people, the skills which have made us survive as the oldest continent, as the mother of mankind.
"There must be some abiding spirituality about Africa, some skill of survival about Africa that should not make Africa a hopeless case. My message here has been that Africa should be seen more as an opportunity rather than just a crisis," the minister said.
"Let's put aside childish things means that the U.S. must engage Africa as partners, must not talk down to us, should treat us in the true sense of partnership...of course we have to also start thinking strategically. We believe that the U.S. needs Africa just as Africa needs the U.S. We believe that issues which have long been agreed upon must now derive a new momentum, a new implementation, a new sense of detail as to what should be done, how, when to do it and by who, so that the entire continent of Africa would join the global economy and make the long awaited leap to make poverty history", he added.
Maduekwe described the opportunity of meeting with the congressional chairman of the committee of foreign relations as "a measure of the high esteem in which the Yar'Adua administration and the people of Nigeria are held in Washington".
Asked to expatiate on the commitment made by the U.S side, he said: "The global role that Nigeria plays in peace-keeping, whether in Darfur or in Lebanon are appreciated. The are expectations that we should also be dealing with Somalia. The commitment is simple. Let's go back and work and implement things that have been agreed upon. That they do their part and that we should also have the capacity of doing our part".
The minister added: "The Obama's election has completely taken away from us the political elite of Africa, our continuing excuses for failures. A son of an Africa immigrant can come to the United States and become the leader of the most powerful nation in the world.
"The continent of his father in a philosophical, spiritual sense is better positioned to put its own house in order. We believe that the Obama election is an extraordinarily powerful new window of engagement. We are tired of excuses. Colonialism, neo-colonialism, imperialism, unequal play ground in the area of trade.
"Now, there is no limit to excuses. Yes, we can. For us, it is creating the enabling environment for competition, rule of law. Those mere lectures will not work with us; lectures on democracy, rule of law.
"Our discussions with these gentlemen who shape policies, who provide leadership in the U.S. in matters concerning Africa is that we are on the same page on fundamental human rights, democracy, rule of law. What needs to be done is to get some action, some speed. We have agreed that there will be regular consultation. All these have helped to raise the profile of Nigeria in Washington.
"At the inaugural hall at the Smithsonian Museum, what was on the table was that there is no time to waste. Nigeria and indeed Africa must really get our acts together and deal with the capacity to confront corruption. It must insist that there should be a level playing ground at home and deal with the economy in a way that will make the continent a safer place for us all."
Oghogho Obayuwana, Abuja
Thursday, January 29, 2009
source:Concerned Migrants Group(C-M-G)Worldwide
Email:concerned.migrants@gmail.com
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after how barak responded to Kenya when they asked for financial help, by telling them he would if they let a u.s. military force be placed there, no other Afrikan kountry should expect anything remotely substanative from barak's ass...
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sigh