PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

U.S. Ambassador Tours States in the North East Geo-political Zone

Date: July 7, 2009

Ambassador Sanders sitting with Waziri of Borno and across the table, the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Adamu Yuguda Dibal during the Ambassador's roundtable with Imams and Islamic scholars in Maiduguri, Borno State | Full size

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Robin R. Sanders recently visited three states in the North East geopolitical zone.  During the three day visit that took her to Gombe, Yobe and Borno States, the Ambassador commissioned health facilities, visited state governors and traditional rulers, presented a policy speech, hosted a roundtable discussion with Imams and interacted with university students and their leaders.  

In Gombe, Ambassador Sanders said during a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor John Lazarus Yoriyo that the United States has provided assistance to the state government in the areas of health care, teacher training, and scholarships for students, adding that the partnership between the U.S. and Gombe state will help the state to realize its goals.  Presently, over 136 secondary school students and 16 pupils are sponsored under the Ambassador’s Girls’ Scholarship Program, which provides education support for both girls and boys.  At the Specialist Hospital Gombe, the Ambassador commissioned an HIV/AIDS Diagnostic Laboratory and an Adherence Unit for the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control provided financial support for the two projects through its implementing partner, the International Center for Aids Care and Treatment Program.

As part of her outreach with Muslim and traditional rulers, Ambassador Sanders visited the palace of the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Usman Abubakar, where she reiterated President Obama’s desire for a new beginning in the relationship between the United States and the Muslim world.  At the Gombe State University, Ambassador Sanders had a very interesting interactive session with about two dozen student union leaders.  She explained that the United States is partnering with Nigeria in four key areas; economic development and trade, investing in people, which deals with areas like health and education, governing justly and democratically, and the promotion of peace and security.  Ambassador Sanders explained the new foreign policy focus of the United States to the students and answered questions on how the U.S. is assisting Nigeria in tandem with its Seven Point agenda. 

In Damaturu, Yobe State, Ambassador Sanders met with Governor Ibrahim Geidam. She promised to work with the state government in the areas of education and provision of health care. 
While in Maiduguri, the Ambassador paid courtesy calls on Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, the Shehu of Borno, His Eminence, Alhaji Abba Kyari Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Mala Daura.  During her visit to the University, the Ambassador also visited the America Corner and donated books.

The Ambassador’s roundtable discussion with Imams and other Islamic scholars and her presentation of a policy speech to a distinguished audience of students, civil society organizations, religious leaders and government officials at the International Conference Center were the centerpieces of the Ambassador’s visit to Maiduguri.  Ambassador Sanders reaffirmed President Obama’s promise of a new beginning by listening and learning from the Borno Imams, adding that it is important that “we have mutual understanding for each other so that your nation and my nation-Muslim and Christian Nigerians, as well as Muslims all over the world, and Americans-can live as part of human kind in harmony, and in peace and prosperity.”