PRESS RELEASES

U.S. Ambassador Sanders Calls on Nigerian Leaders to Use Their Skills to Improve Nigerian Democracy, Fulfill Its Commitment to African Misson (March 3, 2009)

March 3, 2009
For Immediate Release
Abuja, Nigeria

In her remarks to members of the Lagos Business School Breakfast Club in Lagos on Tuesday, March 3rd, U.S. Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders told the audience that the people and government of the United States, as friends and partners of the people and government of Nigeria, are working together to address challenges in the current economic environment through improving U.S.-Nigeria trade relations and promoting Nigeria's trade policy reforms.  She said Nigeria and the U.S. must establish a bilateral investment treaty and move forward on trade negotiations to reduce barriers.

Ambassador Sanders highlighted the following ongoing efforts by the U.S. Mission to Nigeria to assist the government of Nigeria: development projects in the Niger Delta, educational exchanges, training and scholarship programs; capacity building and export promotion activities for the agriculture sector through the $25 million Global Food Security Response Program;  a public-private conference on agricultural investment in June on top of our state level AGOA workshops over the last year; and efforts in the health sector in HIV/AIDS and malaria.  Sanders also called on the government of Nigeria to remain steadfast in its promise to send troops to Somalia and to maintain its peace keeping efforts in Darfur and its political stance on Zimbabwe and welcomed its comments on recent events in Guinea Bissau.

In closing, Ambassador Sanders said that as a country with incredible natural as well as intellectual wealth, "Nigeria faces challenges economically, politically, certainly with the need for election reform and a truly independent electoral commission, and on stemming ethno – social issues with pockets of religious tension, particularly in the Niger Delta, Jos and Bauchi."  Ambassador Sanders urged members of the audience to engage with policy makers and civil society "in making things better for the overall Nigerian public."  Her remarks come at the end of a two-week tour to highlight what the U.S. is doing to support Nigeria to improve its democracy, anti-corruption efforts, electoral reform, transparency, and encourage it to maintain its commitment in sending peacekeeping troops to Somalia.
 
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