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Tag: Linda Thomas-Greenfield

  • Boko Haram: U.S pledges $5m contribution to troops

    Boko Haram: U.S pledges $5m contribution to troops

    United States has pledged a $5million contribution to the Nigeria led Multinational Joint Task force fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast and some parts of the West Africa sub-region.

    The U.S embassy in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday said it announced $5million contribution and not $10million as reported by the media.

    Leader of the U.S government delegation to the African Union Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Assistant Secretary, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, while responding to a question said: “We have been working with Nigeria, as well as the other countries in the region, to address their concerns about Boko Haram. This is because we don’t see this as just a Nigeria problem.

    “And with the new government, we are having discussions with them on how we might bolster our support. That said, we have already been working with them on providing information, providing some training and support, and we look to, with this new administration, to see how we might increase the level of support that we are providing to Nigeria.

    “At the same time, we have just announced since I have been here at the AU, a $5 million contribution to the Multinational Task Force. This is funding going to the AU. We are also providing some equipment and support, and we had a number of meetings with the countries who are members of the Multinational Task Force to look at other areas that we might support.”

  • Boko Haram’s land grab worries U.S

    The United States on Thursday said it was concerned by increasing Boko Haram violence and territorial gains in Nigeria, warning that the deteriorating situation threatened the African giant’s future.

    “We are very troubled by the apparent capture of Bama and the prospects for an attack on and in Maiduguri, which would impose a tremendous toll on the civilian population,” U.S Assistant Secretary of State, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on a visit to Abuja.

    Boko Haram, which has been waging a violent insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives since 2009, has in recent weeks overrun and held swathes of territory in Nigeria’s far northeast.

    On Monday, the militants reportedly took over Bama, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, although the military disputed the claims.

    Thomas-Greenfield, who leads Washington’s African Affairs team, told delegates at a bilateral meeting on regional security that the upsurge in violence “constitutes a serious threat” to Nigeria.

    Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau’s claim that the captured town of Gwoza, also in Borno, was now part of an Islamic caliphate “only adds to the perception that the security situation is steadily worsening.”

    “All of these developments are deeply disturbing and increasingly dangerous with each passing day,” AFP quoted the American official as saying at the meeting.

    Before the capture of Bama, the militants seized Gamboru Ngala, Buni Yadi in Yobe State and Madagali in Adamawa, with Nigerian troops seemingly unable to match their firepower.

    Hundreds of soldiers abandoned their posts, some crossing the border into Cameroon, although the military said they had not fled but were conducting “tactical manoeuvres” that crossed the frontier.

    Thomas-Greenfield said the stakes were high after experts warned that the government risked losing control of the northeast and the violence could spread across borders.

    “The reputation of Nigeria’s military is at stake. But more importantly, Nigeria’s and its children’s future is in jeopardy. Failure is not an option,” she added.

     

  • Ebola: U.S okays Nigeria’s approach

    Ebola: U.S okays Nigeria’s approach

    United States on Thursday commended the Federal Government’s successful handling of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.

    America’s Under Secretary of State on African Affairs, Amb. Linda Thomas – Greenfield, who was on a visit to the country, however expressed concern at the spread of the virus in other West African countries notably Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

    Thomas-Greenfield, who paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, commended the minister, his staff and the Nigerian government on the effective handling of the Ebola scourge in the country.

    She said U.S and Nigeria are working assiduously to contain the virus in the country, adding that the efforts had been very successful.

    Thomas –Greenfield said, “I commended the minister and his staff and the government of Nigeria on how effectively they have been working to deal with the Ebola outbreak here in Nigeria.

    “They are taking the right steps to control this. And, they are having great success here. I appealed to the minister to assist neighbouring Liberia, Sierra-Leone as they also grapple with this terrible outbreak.”

    She also denied allegation that U.S was not ready to assist Nigeria, especially with the trial drugs.

    “That is not correct; I think the Centre for Disease Control has proactively supported all the countries in the West African region in dealing with the situation. It is not about Zmapp. There were six doses of Zmapp available; they were all used.

    “What is important is how to control the spread of the disease. And, that is exactly what is being done here in Nigeria; and efforts are being made to have the same kind of success in Liberia,” the American official stated.

     

  • Nigeria’ll overcome Boko Haram, says U.S.

    The U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs,Linda Thomas-Greenfield, yesterday expressed confidence in the ability of the Federal Government and the military to defeat Boko Haram.

    Thomas-Greenfield spoke at a news conference in Abuja at the end of the two-day Nigeria-U.S. Bi-National Commission (BNC) meeting on good governance, transparency and integrity.

    Greenfield told reporters that the U.S. was strongly committed to support Nigeria in the fight against insurgents.

    “I do not think it is a failure of U.S. government if Nigeria government fails to defeat Boko Haram, I think the Nigeria government will defeat Boko Haram.

    “We are given the government tremendous amount of support and advice and it is our hope for the people of Nigeria that Boko Haram is defeated,’’ she said.

    She expressed sympathy to Nigerians and families who lost their loved ones in the latest massacre in the North-eastern part of the country.

    “Extremism is a problem not only in Nigeria, it is a problem that we have faced in the United States, what we have learnt is that terrorism anywhere affects everyone,’’ she said.

    On the possible use of drones in Nigeria to counter insurgents, the U.S. top envoy for Africa said such military plans were not for the public knowledge.

    “We are working closely with your government and anytime such military actions are taken it is with the coordination of the requesting government,’’ she said.

    According to a communiqué issued at the end of the BNC meeting, both countries agreed to increase operational collaboration in the investigation and prosecution of individuals and groups involved in corruption.

    The communiqué said that Nigeria and the U.S. would collaborate in cases of money laundering, illicit finance, and related economic crimes.

    The meeting also agreed that ensuring the credibility of the electoral process would require adequate preparations for activities at all stages of the electoral cycle.

    Both countries recognised the importance of continuing a programme of electoral reforms as outlined by INEC and the relevance of the security services in working with INEC to safeguard the election materials.

    According to the communiqué, Nigeria expresses its determination to prevent thuggery and all forms of violence during the election period.

     

  • 2015: US backs electoral offence tribunal

    The United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has supported the establishment of an electoral offence tribunal in Nigeria.

    She said the National Assembly should pass a legislation enacting an electoral offences tribunal—legislation.

    Thomas-Greenfield, who spoke at the opening of the Nigeria-US Bi-National Commission meeting in Abuja yesterday, said it would help enthrone transparency.

    She urged voters not to sell their votes, saying the gain was temporary while the future would be mortgaged.

    The Assistant Secretary for African Affairs also enjoined citizens to ensure credible and transparent elections next year.

    She said the people should hold politicians accountable.

    According to her, “Nigeria’s future is full of promise and opportunity and it cannot afford to have elections or general governance slide back in terms of peacefulness, fairness, transparency, or credibility.

    “No matter how high the political stakes, we are dedicated to the proposition that the 2015 elections will be more transparent, more credible and less violent than in 2011. We stand with Nigerians who say loudly that they will not accept crooked tactics, electoral tampering, overly heated rhetoric, vote selling or buying, or violence. I have heard my Nigerian friends say repeatedly that anyone who engages in such election chicanery should be held accountable. They are right. I encourage Nigeria’s National Assembly to pass a legislation enacting an Electoral Offences Tribunal—legislation that President Goodluck Jonathan himself proposed when he was Vice President.

    We hope that our continued electoral assistance will give the utmost support to the Nigerian people because they deserve nothing less than elections that reflect their will.”

     

  • Gay marriage: We’ll continue pressing to change law – US

    United States has said that its condemnation of gay marriage law in Nigeria and other African countries does not amount to interference.

    The action, according to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa is to ensure that people under whatever guise were not denied their human rights.

    Thomas-Greenfield, who spoke on Tuesday during the live-web chat monitored in Abuja, said US will continue to impress it on the government and the legislators on the need to give everyone equal opportunity.

    She noted that US is just against legislations that is targeted against gay people.

    The Assistant Secretary of State also insisted that American government supports human rights for all the people.

    She said, ” As a policy we will continue to press the government of Nigeria and other governments and the legislature to change this law and provide human rights to all Nigerians regardless of their sexual orientation.’’