Nigeria’s Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo has reacted to the recent designation of Boko Haram and Ansaru as foreign terrorist organisations by the United States, saying such description should not affect Nigerians who are travelling to that country for legitimate engagements.
Namadi Sambo made this call on Wednesday December 4, 2013 when he received in his office at the State House, Abuja a senior United States delegation led by the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
While speaking at the occasion, the Vice President expressed hope that such designation would create more opportunities for cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in the quest for the Nigerian Government to end the insurgency. He also cautioned that the designation should not affect Nigerian citizens who are travelling to the US for legitimate engagements.
He assured the delegation that the Federal Government is doing everything possible to urgently bring to an end the security challenges in the North-Eastern part of the country. He stressed that apart from the military action, other measures are being taken to address the socio-economic situation in the area. Adding, Nigerians are in full support of the actions which the government is taking to end the insurgency.
Sambo informed the delegation that President Goodluck Jonathan has advocated strict adherence to the rule of engagement and human rights in the efforts to curb the activities of the insurgents. He further indicated that the rule of law still remains the cardinal principle of the present administration’s Transformation Agenda.
On the developmental strides which the government is making to reposition the socio-economic status of Nigerians, he highlighted key sectors of the economy such as agriculture, education, power supply, transportation, youth and women empowerment among others. He also thanked President Barack Obama for the ‘Power in Africa Initiative’ and for making Nigeria a beneficiary.
The leader of the delegation, Linda Thomas-Greenfield in her speech opined that they were in the country to follow up on the discussions held between Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Barack Obama of the United States in New York in September 2013 and also on the discussions between Vice President Sambo and his counterpart Joe Biden of the United States. She added that they were also following up on the deliberations during the Nigeria -US Bi-National Commission held in August 2013.
She noted that the United States and Nigeria have had very fruitful partnerships in their relations; adding that the US is very much in support of the efforts of the Nigerian Government to surmount the security challenges posed by insurgents in the country.
The Assistant Secretary stated that the designation of Boko Haram and Ansaru as foreign terrorist organisations gives the United States the opportunity to support Nigeria in tackling the security challenges posed by insurgents. She said that part of their visit was aimed at working out a counter-insurgency programme with the relevant stakeholders and sharing information on various aspects of security, including maritime security so as to help in solving the challenges.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield described the meeting as one step in the long term dialogue that the US will have with Nigeria. She expressed appreciation for the dialogue, saying she looks forward to having more of it.
Other members of the delegation who spoke commended Nigeria for her achievements in the areas of agriculture, education and power supply; noting the success achieved in energy privatisation. They said that Nigeria is a role model to the world and congratulated Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina for being Forbes’ man of the year.
The US delegation comprised – the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle and the Commander of the US Africa Command, David Rodriguez. Others were Grant Harris, Amanda Dory, Earl Gast and Gregory Lawless.
The Nigerian dignitaries present at the meeting were: the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri; the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar; the Supervising Minister of National Planning, Bashir Yuguda and the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Adefuye among other government officials.
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