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  • U.S. committed to Chibok girls return, says envoy

    U.S. committed to Chibok girls return, says envoy

    The United States (U.S.) is not resting on its oars to ensure the safe return of the 219 Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Africa Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said yesterday.

    She spoke at a media parley she jointly attended with Special Assistant to President Barack Obama on African Affairs, Grant Harris, on the on-going Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in Washington DC.

    The envoy said Obama was in constant contact with governments of countries being affected by the Boko Haram activities, noting the U.S.  was concerned about breach of peace in the affected countries and was also mapping out strategies to “deal with the lawless insurgents”.

    The theme of the conference which began last Monday is: Investing in the Next Generation.

    Obama met with 500 young Africans participating in the summit to provide supports they need to foster change in their countries.

    Without peace, Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said, Africa’s development could be a mirage, saying how to achieve sustainable peace and economic growth would be part of the focus at the YALI Summit.

    She said: “The problem of Boko Haram is one of the issues to be discussed by participants at the summit. We believe Boko Haram insurgency is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, it has turned regional problem, just the same way Al-Shabaab is terrorising Somalia and East Africa.”

    Mrs Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. was always willing to invest in Africa’s development, noting that the objective of the YALI Summit was to promote good governance and economic development in the continent.

    She said the focus of the summit would also be on how African governments could combat faming and engender viable agriculture sector that will boost food security on the continent.

    The economic forum, which is one of the features of the YALI Summit, will be attended by 50 presidents or their representatives from Africa, the envoy said, stressing that the summit was also to support Africa’s aspiration for development and empower African leaders to solve challenges facing their countries.

    “The relationship with Africa is based on shared interest and history. We believe it is a partnership that is moving in positive direction, which is to help African to stay ahead of the developmental challenges they face. African economy is growing rapidly and the U.S. would like to increase its investment to create jobs and opportunities for the youths. YALI would generate employment opportunities never seen before on African continent,” she said.

    The envoy dismissed the notion that Obama cut aid to Africa because of anti-gay stance of African leaders, saying: “The U.S. is not at loggerheads with African governments on the passing of anti-gay laws but America, while respecting the sovereignty of all nations, will continue to push for the rights of the gay people.”

    On whether the United States was disturbed by the outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa sub region, Mrs Thomas-Greenfield, a former U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, said America had stepped up its humanitarian activities by partnering with World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international humanitarian groups to provide protective materials and treatment for victims.

    To achieve the aims of the summits, the envoy said U.S. would continue to press for institution-building among African leaders, noting that President Obama would continue to reject manipulation of state institution to promote individual lust for power.

    “President Obama has never supported and will not support any leader who manipulates institutions for personal benefit. The president believes in building strong institutions and supports democratic succession. This, we believe, is at the heart of development in Africa,” she said.

    The Initiative was established last April, with the network already have more than 68,000 members.

    Journalists, who participated in the media briefing in the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, were trained on how to effectively use the social media by Chief of New Media for U.S. Department of State, Ms Corina DuBois.

  • U.S.: Nigeria ineffective in quelling violence

    U.S.: Nigeria ineffective in quelling violence

    The latest United States’ Department of State Report on Religious Freedom has more of knocks for the Federal Government than kudos

    The constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom. The Federal Government did not prevent detentions and restrictions affecting religious groups reportedly carried out by some state and local governments. The Federal Government was also ineffective in preventing or quelling religious-based violence, only occasionally investigated, prosecuted, or punished those responsible for abusing religious freedom, and sometimes responded to violence with heavy-handed tactics.

    There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Some Muslim and Christian religious leaders stated the terrorist organization known as Boko Haram sought to incite hostilities between Muslims and Christians in the northern and central states, where local laws, discriminatory employment practices, and fierce competition for land exacerbated ethnic and religious tensions. In areas where it was active, Boko Haram attempted to force non-Muslims to convert and targeted Muslims who did not follow its version of Islam or support its activities. Both Muslims and Christians experienced societal pressure if they changed their religious affiliation.

    The U.S. embassy and consulate discussed and advocated for religious freedom and tolerance with government, religious, civil society, and traditional leaders. U.S. government officials discussed Boko Haram in high-level bilateral meetings. Visiting U.S. delegations, including the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, raised religious freedom with state and federal government officials. The embassy met with persons displaced by violence, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) expanded a project aimed at promoting tolerance in six northern states.

     

    Religious demography

    The U.S. government estimates the total population at 174.5 million (July 2013 estimate). Most observers estimate 50 percent is Muslim, 40 percent is Christian, and 10 percent adheres to indigenous religious beliefs. The predominant Islamic group is Sunni, divided between Sufi groups including Tijaniyah and Qadiriyyah. Growing Shia and Izala (Salafist) minorities exist. Christian groups include Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, evangelicals and Pentecostals, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Groups that together comprise less than 5 percent of the population include Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bahais, and individuals who do not follow any religion.

    The Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups dominate the predominantly Muslim northern states. Significant numbers of Christians also reside in the north, and Christians and Muslims reside in about equal numbers in central Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory, and the southwestern states, where the Yoruba ethnic group predominates. While most Yorubas are either Christian or Muslim, some adhere to traditional Yoruba religious beliefs. In the southeastern states, where the Igbo ethnic group is dominant, Catholics, Anglicans, and Methodists constitute the majority, although many Igbos combine traditional practices with Christianity. In the Niger Delta region, where the Ogoni and Ijaw ethnic groups predominate, Christians form the majority, while an estimated 1 percent of the population is Muslim. Pentecostal groups are growing rapidly in the central and southern regions. Ahmadi Muslims maintain a small presence in the cities of Lagos and Abuja.

     

    Government Inaction

    The Federal Government did not act swiftly or effectively to prevent or quell communal or religious-based violence and only occasionally investigated and prosecuted perpetrators of that violence. The government also failed to protect victims of violent attacks targeted because of their religious beliefs or for other reasons. The government did not adequately equip and train security forces to contain violent extremist groups in the north who attacked religious freedom.

    Legal proceedings against five police officers charged in 2011 with the extrajudicial killing of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf did not resume during the year. The court was not in session on continuation dates set in February, March, May, and June after the presiding judge transferred to a different jurisdiction in 2012. There were no indictments or prosecutions following three fatal attacks on high-profile Muslim leaders in late 2012.

    Christian groups continued to assert local and state authorities did not deliver adequate protection or post-attack relief to rural communities in the northeast, where Boko Haram killed villagers and burned churches throughout the year.

    Some Christian groups reported discrimination and a systematic lack of protection by state governments, especially in central Nigeria, where communal violence rooted in decades-long competition for land pitted majority-Christian farmers against majority-Muslim cattle herders. Federal, state, and local authorities did not effectively address underlying political, ethnic, and religious grievances leading to this violence.

    Recommendations from numerous government-sponsored panels for resolving ongoing ethno-religious disputes in the Middle Belt included establishing truth and reconciliation committees, redistricting cities, engaging in community sensitization, and ending the dichotomy between indigenes and settlers. Nationwide practice distinguished between indigenes, whose ethnic group was native to a location, and settlers, who had ethnic roots in another part of the country. Indigenes and settlers often belonged to different religious groups. Local authorities granted indigenes certain privileges, including preferential access to political positions, government employment, and lower school fees, based on a certificate attesting to indigene status. The federal government did not implement any recommendations despite ongoing calls by political and religious leaders to do so.

     

    Abuses by terrorist organisations

    The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, or People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad (commonly referred to as Boko Haram, Hausa for “Western education is forbidden”), continued to commit violent acts in its quest to overthrow the government and impose its own religious and political beliefs throughout the country, especially in the north. On November 13, the U.S. government designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization.

    Boko Haram killed more than 1,000 persons during the year. The group targeted a wide array of civilians and sites, including Christian and Muslim religious leaders, churches, and mosques, using assault rifles, bombs, improvised explosive devices, suicide car bombs, and suicide vests. An attack on the Emir of Kano in January was widely believed to be an attempt by Boko Haram to silence the anti-extremist Muslim leader, although the group did not officially claim responsibility. On September 28, Boko Haram killed at least 50 mostly Muslim students at a technical college in rural Yobe State. After this and other incidents, security forces faced public criticism for arriving at the scene hours after the assailants had fled.

    Boko Haram claimed responsibility for many of the scores of fatal attacks on churches and mosques, which often killed worshipers during religious services or immediately afterward. There were reports Boko Haram had burned down dozens of churches, often at night or during clashes with security forces. Christian groups stated the media underreported the razing of churches. Several Christian leaders reported church attendance rates in the north remained low after decreasing by 30 to 70 percent during 2012, attributing the decline to fear of Boko Haram.

    There were multiple confirmed reports Boko Haram had targeted individuals and communities because of their religious beliefs, including Christians in remote areas of Borno and Yobe states. Survivors and relatives of victims said armed men had attempted to force them to renounce Christianity, killing those who did not convert on the spot. One Christian group reported suspected Boko Haram fighters had attacked a majority Christian town near Gwoza, Borno State on 11 separate occasions, attempting to force residents to convert or flee. There were also reports Boko Haram had targeted persons engaging in activities they perceived as un-Islamic. On January 18, gunmen reportedly killed 18 hunters selling non-halal meat at a market in Damboa, near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri. Also in January gunmen reportedly killed five men gambling by the side of the road in Kano State.

    Civil society groups, media outlets, and politicians stated Boko Haram killed more Muslims than Christians because its primary bases of operation were in the predominately Muslim north and it frequently targeted schools, security forces, and government installations. In one such August incident, Boko Haram killed more than 20 soldiers and policemen in an attack on the Borno village of Mallam Fatori. Boko Haram also targeted Muslim civilians who aided the security forces; this was widely accepted as the motive of an attack on a mosque in Konduga, Borno State, which killed 44 worshippers on August 11.

    Government attempts to stop Boko Haram were largely ineffective. Actions taken by security forces under the state of emergency, declared in May in the three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, often increased the death toll, as bystanders were caught in crossfire during urban gunfights, security forces committed extrajudicial killings of suspected terrorists, and detainees died in custody. Religious leaders, civil society, and international human rights organizations condemned the government’s heavy-handed military response. Some of the more than 10,000 refugees who fled to neighboring countries reported fear of both Boko Haram and the military had prevented their return. Although most residents reported improved security for part of the year in Maiduguri, where large clashes between Boko Haram and security personnel had occurred frequently, Boko Haram continued to operate freely in rural areas in the northeast and a large Boko Haram force mounted an attack on Maiduguri in December.

     

    Societal Respect for Religious Freedom

    There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Because ethnicity, religion, and socio-economic status were often inextricably linked, it was difficult to categorise social abuses or discrimination cases as either ethnic or religious intolerance.

    Some Muslims or Christians who converted to another religion reportedly faced threats and ostracism by adherents of their former religion. In some northern states, those wishing to convert to Islam were strongly encouraged to apply to the sharia council for a letter of conversion to be sent to their families, which served to dissolve marriages to Christians and to request Hisbah protection from reprisals by relatives. Similar procedures did not exist for those converting to Christianity. In July a woman living in northern Niger State who had converted to Islam requested local authorities protect her from her father, a Christian pastor who rejected her conversion and insisted she had been coerced, despite her public statements otherwise.

    There was no progress in the investigation of the murder by unknown gunmen of family members of a woman who converted from Islam to Christianity in 2012.

    In April a Christian leader in a northern state temporarily left the country after receiving threatening messages in response to his public support of religious tolerance and interfaith efforts. He suspected Christians in his area had made the threats and said other Christians and Muslims dedicated to strengthening interfaith ties often received hostile complaints from some members of their own religious communities.

    Muslims and Christians continued to fear reprisal attacks based on their religious affiliation. Shortly after a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber killed 22 people at a bus station in a Christian community in Kano city on March 18, there were unconfirmed reports of threats against the Hausa residents living in Abia State. Several Christian religious leaders publically called for calm, and no known violence occurred.

    There were reports some Christians, along with many other residents, moved away from the conflict-ridden northeastern states of Borno and Yobe throughout the year. Several interviewees among approximately 100 internally displaced people who had moved to Jos in Plateau State said they left their homes out of fear of Boko Haram and such incidents as house-to-house killings, attacks on churches, and sustained violence between extremists and government security forces.

    While the law prohibits religious discrimination in employment and other activities, religious groups continued to say some sectors discriminated in the work place because of religion. Muslim women in the south reportedly continued to face job discrimination in the private sector, especially in customer service jobs. Advocacy by Muslim groups resulted in three major banks in the south accepting the hijab (a veil covering the hair) in their corporate dress code for the first time.

    The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), an independent organization comprised of 25 Christian and 25 Muslim leaders, advised the government on ways to mitigate violence between religious communities. The federal government publicly supported NIREC efforts, but the council met only once during the year. Several Christian and Muslim religious leaders expressed growing frustration with and distrust of NIREC leadership. Although many religious leaders publicly supported tolerance and interfaith methods of conflict resolution, some said growing distrust between Christian and Muslim leaders (and discord among denominations within the same faith tradition) threatened interfaith efforts.

    Communities sometimes stigmatized those who did not accept the existence of God. For example, two Christians and one Muslim reported privately they no longer believed in God but continued to attend religious services out of fear their families would ostracize them and they would face extra scrutiny from their neighbors.

     

    U.S. Government Policy     

    U.S. embassy staff promoted religious freedom and tolerance in discussions with government, religious, civil society, and traditional leaders. The Ambassador arranged and attended meetings with government officials for visiting delegations, including the State Department’s Under Secretary for Political Affairs and Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. These officials encouraged officials at agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the National Security Advisor to address sectarian violence and called for timely legal action against perpetrators of violence. Over 10 other visiting U.S. government officials met with civil society groups and religious leaders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria and the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, to listen to and show public support for their concerns. In a meeting with President Jonathan, President Obama expressed U.S. support for Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram and emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach that respects human rights to the success of those efforts, as did Secretary of State Kerry with Nigeria’s foreign minister. Government officials responded with support for religious freedom and requests the United States assist Nigeria in combating Boko Haram.

    In August the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos hosted an interfaith iftar to promote religious pluralism. Guest speakers focused on the fundamentally tolerant and peaceful nature of Islam and denounced religious violence. The principal officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos discussed religious tolerance and interfaith relationship building on multiple occasions throughout the year with leaders of the growing Pentecostal Christian movement, other Christian leaders, and influential Muslim clerics. An embassy official noted a common commitment to religious tolerance and strong bonds between Nigerians of different faiths at an event in August, when 25 embassy volunteers served meals to needy youth and Muslims at an iftar.

    USAID continued working with the Interfaith Mediation Center in Kaduna State on a program to help interfaith organizations deepen and strengthen community engagement capacities and support interfaith dialogue in six northern and central states.

    U.S. embassy representatives supported interfaith dialogue by meeting with persons displaced by Boko Haram violence, speaking at a conference on communal violence hosted by the Plateau State government, and discussing religious tension mitigation efforts with religious, traditional, and academic leaders at several conferences and research presentations in Abuja.

    The embassy and consulate general regularly distributed information on religious freedom to journalists, academics, entrepreneurs, civic organizations, teachers, students, government officials, the armed forces, clergy, and traditional rulers.

  • U.S. stocks fluctuate on mergers

    UNITED States stocks fluctuated, erasing an earlier loss, as merger activity offset concerns over crises abroad and weaker home-sales data before a Federal Reserve policy decision.

    Tesla Motors Inc. rose 2.3 percent on a report it reached an agreement on a battery plant.

    Trulia Inc. jumped 19 per cent as Zillow Inc. agreed to purchase the company for $3.5 billion.

    Family Dollar Stores Inc., a discount store chain, soared 24 percent after Dollar Tree Inc. agreed to buy it.

    The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.1 percent to 1,980.53 at 2:03 p.m. in New York, erasing an earlier drop of as much as 0.6 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 30.37 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,990.94. Trading in S&P 500 stocks was in line with the 30-day average during this time of day.

    “The market has been very benign,” Sam Wardwell, an investment strategist at Pioneer Investments in Boston, said in a phone interview. His firm manages about $250 billion.

    “Economic news has been just fine. Earnings have been fine. You got a little bit geopolitical fear out there. We’re still on track and as long as wars in the rest of the world don’t upset the upper card, the second half of this year continues to look like it’s going to be a gradually improving year.”

    Stocks slumped earlier in the day as fewer Americans than forecast signed contracts to buy previously owned homes in June, a sign residential real estate is struggling to strengthen.

    An S&P index of homebuilder shares dropped 1.6 percent to the lowest level since May.

    Outside the U.S., international pressure mounted on Israel to end its three-week offensive in  the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, with President Barack Obama and the United Nations Security Council demanding an immediate truce.

    In Europe, President Vladimir Putin faces intensifying U.S. and European sanctions aimed at forcing him to help end the separatist war in neighboring Ukraine. The Obama administration said it had satellite photos showing Russia firing across the border at Ukraine forces.

    The S&P 500 ended little changed last week as investors weighed corporate earnings. The gauge closed 0.5 per cent below its all-time high of 1,987.98 reached July 24. The index has rallied about seven per cent this year, as the economy shows signs of recovering from a 2.9 per cent drop in the first quarter amid renewed pledges from the Fed to continue stimulus.

  • Ebonyi signs clean water pact with U.S.

    Ebonyi signs clean water pact with U.S.

    The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ebonyi State government to establish a collaborative development partnership to modernise the state’s water utility. The agreement cements an ongoing working relationship to strengthen the institutional, legal and regulatory framework of the Ebonyi State water system so that households have increased access to potable water. Currently, activities underway include establishing a reliable customer database to improve billing and collection efficiency, strengthening the human resource management skills through targeted trainings and developing a tariff policy for cost recovery.

    The MOU was signed by his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, and the USAID Mission Director, Michael T. Harvey.

    Mr. Harvey acknowledged Ebonyi state’s significant investment to expand clean water production and connect its population to an affordable water supply. The state financed the construction of two new water treatment plants and a 52-kilometer trunk water main that connects one of the new water treatment plants to the state capital, Abakaliki. Mr. Harvey said that USAID will work with the Ebonyi State Water Corporation to help it achieve financial independence and, in the end, provide more, better quality water on a reliable basis.  He said, “This partnership is critical because it is about sustainability. It’s about strong political will and a commitment to reform. USAID will enable government officials to move the state towards a brighter future.”

    USAID’s urban water reform activity — Sustainable Water and Sanitation in Africa (SUWASA) — is a water policy reform activity at the state level that focuses on sustainable urban water supply.

  • Our ultimate goal is to stop Boko Haram, says U.S.

    Our ultimate goal is to stop Boko Haram, says U.S.

    United States Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in a LiveAtState interaction with reporters, addressed issues, such as terrorism, sit-tight syndrome and the Chibok girls, among others.

    What happened to the U.S. efforts regarding the seizure of about 200 girls in Nigeria by the Boko Haram?

    I was surprised I didn’t get a question on Boko Haram and the seizure of the girls earlier. As you know, both President Obama and Secretary Kerry indicated that we are going to work closely with the Government of Nigeria as well as countries in the region to do everything possible to bring these girls home. We are working with the Nigerian Government, both as – on the security side, but also in addressing broader issues related to the girls. We have a team, as you know, in Nigeria. The team is multi-agency. We have individuals there from the civilian side who can provide assistance on negotiations. We have individuals from USAID who are there to assist those girls who escape or the girls who are recaptured, to help them reintegrate back into their communities and into society.

    And we’re working very, very closely with regional partners. The French Government hosted a heads of state summit bringing together Nigeria and the four neighbors back in May. The UK Government brought the foreign ministers together a few weeks ago, and Nigeria will be bringing the neighbors together on September 3rd to look at how we can further cooperate with each other, share information, and also fight the attacks that Boko Haram has made throughout Nigeria as well as in neighboring countries.

    It is still an ongoing battle. Our ultimate goal is to stop Boko Haram, to stop the kidnappings, and to bring the girls home, as well as others who have been kidnapped by Boko Haram.

    Unemployed youth are easily recruited for terrorist activities in Africa, with reference to Boko Haram in Nigeria. Don’t you think it’s time to locate the headquarters of the Africa High Command or AFRICOM to West Africa to deal with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups?

    It’s not so easy. The – dealing with these terrorist groups require a multifaceted, multidimensional response. It requires a response that addresses the needs of these young people who are not vested in the futures of their countries. They are attracted by the extremist ideology because they have no other ideology to focus on, and this is what the Young African Leaders Initiative is about. It’s about finding a way to provide for the futures of these young people so they’re not attracted to the Boko Harams of the world; they’re vested in the futures of their country. They are employed, they’re in successful businesses, they’re educated, and then they are less attracted to extremism.

    So the answer is not the U.S. Government sending Africa Command to address this in a military way. This is not just a military response; it’s much more a response that requires looking at economic development, looking at education programs, looking at services and infrastructure being provided to these communities that are impacted by Boko Haram.

    Regarding the rise of extremist groups such as the Boko Haram, the AQIM, and al-Shabaab, how much time will be devoted to discussing the problem and to creating mechanisms to combat extremism?

    A huge portion of the – of our time will be used to discuss these issues. There is a segment of the summit that will focus on peace and security, and during that peace and security discussion I expect – and I can’t predict, but I expect – that issues related to extremism, issues related to al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, AQIM, will be discussed by leaders. When I was in Malabo recently for the AU summit, this was an issue that was raised consistently by all of the African leaders I met with – their concern about the spread of extremism, their concern about how to effectively address extremism, and their request for U.S. assistance and coordination with neighbors to stop the spread.

     What will be the format at the U.S-Africa Summit and what will be the topics of discussion?

    This is something that we have been working on for months in Washington after the President was in Cape Town and he announced that he would invite African leaders to the United States to broaden the partnership with countries across the continent.

    So, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, the conference will take place over three days, August 4 through 6. The first day of the conference, August 4th, we will have a series of what we are referring to as signature events. They will focus on areas where we have partnered with Africa in the past. We will be looking at the issues related to health. We will be looking at issues related to wildlife. We will be looking at power and how we have improved and worked on these issues across the continent.

    On the 4th, also there will be a series of small dinners with heads of state hosted by Bloomberg philanthropy with the Department of Commerce, and each of these small dinners will be hosted by individual members of Cabinet. On the 5th, we will have the actual CEO leaders forum which will bring together about 200 companies from across Africa and the United States, companies interested in investing in Africa, and we will have some very quality engagement between these companies and African leaders. That evening of the 5th, the President will host a state dinner for African leaders and their spouses.

    And then the 6th is the actual day of the Summit, “Investing in the Next Generation”. We will have three thematic events during that day. The President will be participating in all of these. The first will be “Investing in the Next Generation, Investing in the Future”. The second theme will focus on peace and security. And then the third theme will focus on democracy and governance, looking at how we invest in the future in Africa. We look forward to these discussions. The President has expressed the desire that this is an interactive discussion. We’re not asking heads of state to come with long speeches, but we’re looking for engagement, we’re looking for dialogue, we’re looking for an opportunity for heads of state to share their views with our head of state, and for the President to share his views with African leaders.

    So, it really is going to be an exciting time, and we’re all looking forward to it.

    On June 30, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa, President Obama announced Power Africa, a new development to double the number of people with access to power in Sub-Saharan Africa. What is the progress of this initiative?

    We have made tremendous progress in working with the six initial countries that are part of Power Africa, and working with the private sector to ensure that we get more investment on the continent. So, we have moved forward in working with these companies that are looking at how they might improve power on the continent of Africa. And from everything I’ve heard in speaking with companies and countries – I was just in Malabo – there was great excitement about Power Africa and the improvements that have been made in terms of companies investing in power on the continent and countries opening up markets so that it is easier to invest in power on the continent.

    So we’ve made a great deal of progress. We’re looking forward to sharing that progress with African leaders during the summit and seeing how we can further the efforts to improve power on the continent of Africa.

    Last month, the United States announced the relocation of some of its embassy staff in Kenya to other countries because of the recent changes in Kenya’s security situation. Has this position changed or the staff still stay away due to the insecurity in Kenya?

    Let me just start by saying that we have a strong relationship with the Kenyan Government. We have a strong partnership in terms of working with the government on fighting terrorism that has really been quite prevalent in Kenya over the past few months and past year. We did announce that we are making some changes in our footprint in Kenya. We’re looking at moving those individuals who are involved in regional programs that focus outside of Kenya because we had a huge regional operation in Kenya. And we’re looking at how we can decrease that footprint, but more importantly, we’re looking at how we can be more proactive in countering the acts of terror that are taking place on the continent.

    So this is for us now a temporary move, but we’re hoping that we can work with the Kenyans to change the security situation not just for Americans who are working and living in Kenya, but also for Kenyans, because the terrorist attacks have had a greater impact on the Kenyan population. And so we need to work with the government to ensure that we address this issue that impacts all of us.

    In some African countries, elephant and rhino poaching have so far continued to take place, which means the action downplayed President Obama’s initiative to tackle international wildlife trafficking. As per this, what do you expect from President Obama to African leaders during the U.S-Africa Leaders Summit?

    This is a serious, serious concern and a high priority for the Administration addressing wildlife trafficking on the continent of Africa. And we work with a number of countries to address this issue. One of the signature events that will take place on August 4th will focus on wildlife trafficking and how we can better cooperate with countries to address these issues, but more importantly, how we can work with those countries that are recipients of trafficked wildlife and help to deal with issues related to those countries’ purchasing.

    So we are looking at this very broadly. It will be an issue for discussion during the summit, and we know that this is something that is important to a number of African leaders.

    What is the importance of the YALI summit for the U.S. as well as the young African participants? President Obama said in Ghana that the future belongs to Africa. What does that mean in the frame of the African and American relationship, and how many Africans will attend the YALI summit, and was their selection criteria?

    Okay. That was a long, long question. Let me see if I can answer it all. I’m not sure I’m going to get it all, but it – if you want to come back you can. In terms of the future of Africa, if you look at the statistics, 65 percent of the population is 35 and under. That is a huge, huge youth bulge, and it is that population that will be the future of Africa. So the Administration, President Obama has made it a major priority to help African countries prepare for the future, to mentor young people, to support them, to train them so that they are prepared to lead in the future.

    And when we talk about leadership, we’re not just – we’re not talking necessarily about political leadership. We’re talking about leadership across the board, leadership in the private sector, leadership in the public sector, leadership in communities, in civil society – all of these areas need to have young people prepared to take over and to lead in the future. It’s our future that they’re leading for.

    So, the Young African Leaders Initiative and the summit that’s going to take place in Washington is going to bring – has already brought, in fact, 500 young people from across the continent. We had 49,000 applications – in fact, close to 50,000 applications for these 500 slots. And there were a total of about 80,000 who attempted, so 30,000 didn’t get their applications completed. That says to us that there is a huge, huge need, and we want to work with countries to address these needs, to invest in the future, to invest in these young people so that they are vested in the futures of their countries.

    The 500 who are here now are getting mentoring in entrepreneurship and civil society and public service, and they will end their six weeks with the summit here in Washington where they will engage with senior leaders from across the United States, including a town hall meeting with the President. And we hope that these young people go back inspired, inspired to lead but also inspired to be successful so that they can contribute to their countries’ future. And this is what investing in the next generation is about.

    How is the U.S. responding to increased radical Islamic attacks on the continent? And why did the U.S. military only recently admit its presence in Somalia since 2007?

    I think the reason we are in Somalia and the reason we are working so closely with African governments is that terrorism has impacted a large swath of the African continent. As we look at AQIM, we look at al-Shabaab, we look at Boko Haram, there is a concern that extremism will cause – continue to cause problems as it did in Mali, as we’re seeing in Somalia.

    We see an opportunity in Somalia for the first time in over 20 years for this country to move into the community of nations. Somalia has not had a government until now, and we, among other countries in the international community, are working with the Somali Government to help them try to build a society, to build a democracy that can address the needs of the people of Somalia. So as you may have heard, secretary – Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman’s speech a few weeks ago, we have a Somalia strategy that tries to focus on helping Somalia invest in the future of its people. And part of that strategy is to have our military work with – a small cell of our military work with the Somali military to build their capacity to address the kinds of attacks that we saw happen yesterday at the villa and other attacks that we’ve seen around the continent.

    Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International say Kenya mistreated Somali refugees recently in its program to purge foreigners believed to be sympathising with al-Shabaab. Is this something you have raised with the Kenyan Government, and how should they do it?

    This is something we have raised with the Kenyan Government. Kenya has been an extraordinarily hospitable host to refugees for many, many years. And we would like the Kenyan Government to continue to offer that hospitality to people who are fleeing persecution from their countries.

    So, the recent roundup of individuals in response to the terrorist attack brought into its mix individuals who UNHCR and humanitarian organisations have identified as meeting the status of refugees. So we did raise this with the Kenyans and we’re working with UNHCR and the government to address this to ensure that those people who were in Kenya in refugee status continue to maintain the hospitality, but also the protection that is being provided by Kenya and by UNHCR for those who are living in Kenya.

    The USA recently suspended aid to Uganda because of the anti-gay laws. May we know how so much a move impacts cooperation between your country and Uganda from common issues like the hunt for Joseph Kony of the Lord’s Resistance Army and the quest for solutions to the crisis in South Sudan?

    We have made very, very clear to the Government of Uganda as well as other governments around the world our strong views on discrimination against the LGBT community. Uganda’s passing of the AHA legislation was a huge setback for human rights, and we’ve made our views very, very clear that we believe that human rights are a universal right and that discrimination against any population, to include those in the LGBT community, is unacceptable to the U.S. Government.

    So, as a result, we have reviewed our relationship with Uganda, particularly looking at those programs that are supporting individuals or supporting programs that are supporting organisations that discriminate against the LGBT community, and as you know, we issued a statement outlining changes in our support for those programs as well as statements indicating we are prepared and have sanctioned individuals who have discriminated against the LGBT community in Uganda as well as other places in the world.

    That said, we have a very, very strong partnership with Uganda in terms of fighting terrorism and fighting the LRA and supporting Uganda’s efforts in providing peacekeeping across the region. So those efforts will continue; they’re in our national interest. At the same time, we will continue to raise our concerns about the AHA until that law is repealed.

    The return of Madagascar into the AGOA is a hot topic right now in Madagascar. AGOA will come to an end in 2015. Could the USA extend it again? And if yes, for how many years?”

    One of the best phone calls I had to – I made recently was to your president to inform him that a decision had been made to readmit Madagascar into AGOA. So I’m happy that that’s the news that is making news across Madagascar.

    As you know, the AGOA legislation expires in September of 2015. The President has announced that there will be seamless renewal. How long it will be extended is the prerogative of our Congress, our legislature, and they are looking at the AGOA legislation now, and it is our hope that they will make a decision on extension in – before the September 15th – September 2015 deadline. How long that extension will be I’m not at liberty to say. We’re all waiting for that decision.

    What’s your government’s position regarding the DRC and Burkina Faso’s president’s apparent plan to revise the constitution to stay in power? Does the U.S. consider doing something to prevent this from happening?

    We have made very clear what our policy is on this issue. As the President said in his speech in Ghana when he first visited, that Africa needs strong institutions. They don’t need strong men. Strong institutions are institutions like your constitution. If constitutions do not allow for – if constitutions call for term limits, then those term limits need to be honored. And we have been very clear in discouraging African leaders from making changes in their constitution that will benefit one person, one party; to allow that person to stay in power longer than the constitution intended for them to stay in power. We have made, again, our views known to all of the leaders where there are attempts to make changes in the constitution. There is absolutely no confusion on what our position is there.

    AU leaders have met in Malabo two weeks ago.What do you say about it, and did you think of the setting – or did you think of setting specific strategies to address AU 2063 agenda, among other AU policies in the scope of YALI?

    We work very, very closely with the AU as the AU is moving forward with this agenda for the future and addressing the needs of youth in the future. They have a very proactive youth program as well, and we want to see how we can work with them to prepare leaders for the future, to prepare youth for future leadership roles in all of the various sectors across the continent of Africa. It’s a huge challenge, and I think it’s a challenge that the AU has taken on, I think, with a tremendous amount of energy. And we want to encourage that effort and support that effort.

    At the same time, we also want to continue to work with individual African countries to help those countries also prepare for the future, to make commitments and investments in their young people. This is one of the outcomes that we’ve asked African leaders to bring to the summit, and that is an announcement of how they are investing in the future of their youth on the continent. Because we know if we don’t invest in these young people, they will be attracted, as we have seen, by an extremist ideology that does not provide a future for Africa.

  • U.S. is biggest oil producer, overtakes Saudi Arabia

    The United States (U.S.) will remain the world’s biggest oil producer this year after overtaking Saudi Arabia and Russia as extraction of energy from shale rock spurs the nation’s economic recovery, Bank of America Corp. said.

    U.S. production of crude oil, along with liquids separated from natural gas, surpassed all other countries this year with daily output exceeding 11 million barrels in the first quarter, the bank said in a report today. The country became the world’s largest natural gas producer in 2010. The International Energy Agency said in June that the U.S. was the biggest producer of oil and natural gas liquids.

    “The U.S. increase in supply is a very meaningful chunk of oil,” Francisco Blanch, the bank’s head of commodities research, said by phone from New York. “The shale boom is playing a key role in the U.S. recovery. If the U.S. didn’t have this energy supply, prices at the pump would be completely unaffordable.”

    Oil extraction is soaring at shale formations in Texas and North Dakota as companies split rocks using high-pressure liquid, a process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The surge in supply combined with restrictions on exporting crude is curbing the price of West Texas Intermediate, America’s oil benchmark. The U.S., the world’s largest oil consumer, still imported an average of 7.5 million barrels a day of crude in April, according to the Department of Energy’s statistical arm.  

    U.S. oil output will surge to 13.1 million barrels a day in 2019 and plateau thereafter, according to the IEA, a Paris-based adviser to 29 nations. The country will lose its top-producer ranking at the start of the 2030s, the agency said in its World Energy Outlook in November.

    “It’s very likely the U.S. stays as No. 1 producer for the rest of the year” as output is set to increase in the second half, Blanch said. Production growth outside the U.S. has been lower than the bank anticipated, keeping global oil prices high,” he said.

     

     

    “The shale production story is bigger than Iraqi production, but it hasn’t made the impact on prices you would expect.  Typically such a large energy supply growth should bring prices lower, but in fact we’re not seeing that because the whole geopolitical situation outside the U.S. is dreadful,”  Blanch said.

    Territorial gains in northern Iraq by a group calling itself the Islamic State has spurred concerns that oil flows could be disrupted in the second-largest producer in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after Saudi Arabia. Exports from Libya have been reduced by protests, while Nigeria’s production is crimped by oil theft and sabotage.

    Libya will resume exports as soon as possible from two oil ports in the country’s east after taking back control from rebels who blocked crude shipments for the past year, Mohamed Elharari, spokesman for the state-run National Oil Corp., said by phone Tripoli over the weekend.

    The U.S. will consolidate its position as the world’s biggest producer in the coming months if returning Libyan supply limits the need for Saudi barrels, said Julian Lee, an oil strategist who writes for Bloomberg News First Word.

    Blanch said: “There’s a very strong linkage between oil production growth, economic growth and wage growth across a range of U.S. states.”

    Annual investment in oil and gas in the country is at a record $200 billion, reaching 20 per cent of the country’s total private fixed-structure spending for the first time, he said.

     

    A U.S. Commerce Department decision to allow the overseas shipment of processed ultra-light oil called condensate has fanned speculation the nation may ease its four-decade ban on most crude exports. Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and Enterprise Products Partners LP will be allowed to export condensate, provided it is first subject to preliminary distillation, the companies said June 25.

    The decision was “a positive first step” to dispersing the build-up of crude supply in North America, Bank of America said in a report on June 27. The U.S. could potentially have daily exports of 1 million barrels of crude, including 300,000 of condensate, by the end of the year, according to a report from Citigroup Inc.

     

     

  • U.S.: we can’t confirm Defence chief’s claim on girls’ whereabouts

    U.S.: we can’t confirm Defence chief’s claim on girls’ whereabouts

    The United States said it did not have independent information to confirm Nigeria’s claim to know the whereabouts of more than 200 kidnapped girls.

    It also questioned the wisdom of making public such information.

    “We don’t have independent information from the United States to support these reports you referenced,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

    She was responding to a question about Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh’s statement that the military knew where the abducted girls were.

    “We, as a matter of policy and for the girls’ safety and wellbeing, would not discuss publicly this sort of information regardless.”

  • U.S., UK condemn explosion

    U.S., UK condemn explosion

    The United States and Britain yesterday condemned the “vicious” bombing in Jos as well as a series of “terrorist acts” on defenceless civilians.

    “The US government strongly condemns the multiple bomb blasts in the city of Jos yesterday, as well as the bombing in the Sabon-Gari neighborhood of the city of Kano on May 18 that have resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement, adding that the attacks were “unconscionable, terrorist acts demanding accountability and justice”.

    In another statement by the US Embassy in Abuja, the US noted that the attacks demonstrated the criminality of the perpetrators who continue to target defenceless civilians.

    The statement reads: “The U.S Embassy in Abuja strongly condemns the multiple bomb blasts in the city of Jos on May 20, as well as the bombing in the Sabon-Gari neighborhood of the city of Kano on May 18.  These vicious attacks on Nigerian civilians and the abduction last month of more than 200 girls in Chibok are unconscionable acts and starkly demonstrate the criminality of the perpetrators who continue to target defenseless civilians.

    “We have seen reports that tensions are high in Jos, and we join the voices of those who are appealing for calm.

    “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

    “The United States met last weekend in Paris with Nigerian authorities as well as our partners and allies to discuss the way forward on confronting the regional security threat Boko Haram poses to Nigeria and West Africa.

    “Countries agreed to work together to establish a regional counterterrorism strategy, strengthen regional cooperation, including with respect to intelligence sharing and border security, and mobilize support for sanctions against Boko Haram at the United Nations.

    “The search for the missing school girls of Chibok is ongoing.  The Nigerians are in the lead.  We’re continuing to lend our unique assets and capabilities to assist in the search.

    “We continue to stand with the Nigerian government and people as they grapple with violent extremism.”

    British Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

    “I condemn this cowardly, inhumane crime. My thoughts are with those who have been bereaved or injured.

    “This attack on the market was a transparent effort to create tension between different groups in a city well known for its diversity where people of different ethnicities and religions live alongside each other. It has resulted in death and tragedy for both Christians and Muslims alike.

    “I welcome the restraint shown by the population in the face of this provocation and reiterate the United Kingdom’s continued support to the people of Nigeria.

    “Last weekend in Paris the international community and regional leaders made clear their collective determination to support Nigeria and defeat the scourge of terrorism. The Jos attack has only strengthened our resolve.”

  • U.S.: we’ll stand by Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram

    U.S.: we’ll stand by Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram

    U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker yesterday spoke to a group of business leaders in Lagos. Though she was in Nigeria to deepen commercial relationships between the United States and African markets, Secretary Pritzker reinforced the United States’ support for Nigeria to combat Boko Haram, reports OLUKOREDE YISHAU

    Her mission was different. But these are not ordinary times in Nigeria. This fact was not lost on United States Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker when she spoke in Lagos yesterday to a group of business leaders. She said her country would stand by Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram.

    The U.S. Secretary of Commerce also offered condolences to the families bereaved as a result of the explosions in Jos, the Plateau State capital and Kano, the Kano State capital.

    She said: “I want to offer my condolences to the families in Jos, following the tragic attack there yesterday. And I want to address the issue that is on all of our minds. To the north of here in the town of Chibok, hundreds of families are without their daughters today. As a mother of two myself, my heart breaks for these girls and their loved ones and friends.

    “All parents, no matter where they were born or where they reside, hope that their children are always safe, and that their children have the opportunity to realize their dreams. That these young girls were kidnapped while pursuing their education is particularly unsettling, and the world is anxiously awaiting their safe return.

     ”The United States is supporting Nigeria as it works to find and free these young girls. A team is now in place at our Embassy to provide military aid, assist in information gathering, and more. Last weekend, the United States attended a meeting in Paris where President Goodluck Jonathan and the heads of state of the countries bordering Nigeria — Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin — pledged to work together to combat Boko Haram. With them, the U.S., France, the EU and the UK agreed that to prevent violent, extremist groups from making inroads into vulnerable communities, a comprehensive approach to promoting opportunity, inclusion, and security must be implemented in the region. We will help Nigerians do that. Our commitment is long-term; we will stand by Nigerians as they strive to defend and protect their sons and daughters, husbands, brothers, sisters and mothers.

     ”For all of the promise here in Africa, situations like this raise serious concerns. The threat of violence, corruption in government and business, and a lack of trust threaten Nigeria’s continued progress.”

    Pritzker said Nigeria is too important to be allowed to be consumed by insurgency, adding that the opportunities in Nigeria are abundant.

    “You are home to the largest economy in Africa, and one in five people on the Continent are Nigerian. Not only do our governments stand together as partners and friends, but our companies – as evidenced by this trade mission – are eager to forge stronger partnerships in Nigeria.”

    She said despite the challenges of insurgency, the U.S. would remain committed to Nigeria’s progress.

    “Despite these challenges, the United States has been and continues to be a committed partner in your progress. Back in 2012, President Obama outlined his vision for how the United States and Africa would work together toward a mutually-beneficial future. The “U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa” laid out a comprehensive policy that would achieve four specific aims: strengthening democratic institutions; advancing peace and security; promoting opportunity and development; and spurring economic growth, trade, and investment.

     ”These goals are inextricably linked. The United States has a number of initiatives in place to help Africa make progress in each of these areas. At the Department of Commerce, our goal is to advance the trade and investment pillar of the President’s strategy. This trade mission is a sign of commitment by our government to support anew U.S. business focus in Africa,” she said.

     She also spoke about the electricity problem in Nigeria and Africa.

    Pritzker  said: “Today, nearly 600 million Africans (two-thirds of the people on the Continent) lack electricity, including millions here in Nigeria. This problem is particularly stark in rural areas where 85 percent of the population does not have power.  Studies have shown that Africa will need $300 billion in investments to achieve universal electricity by 2030. Already, the U.S. Government has committed $7 billion toward Power Africa, and has secured additional commitments totaling $14 billion from 35 private-sector partners. Simply put, Power Africa is designed to catalyze new financing and investment in energy solutions that will help Nigeria – and the five other countries that comprise Power Africa — provide reliable electricity to its citizens.

     ”Already, Power Africa has closed on transactions totaling nearly 3,000 megawatts, with an additional 5,000 megawatts in the planning stages. Here in Nigeria, the Power Africa initiative is providing technical assistance as your government privatizes its electricity industry, an effort that could add 2,000 megawatts over the next five years.  We are also working together to attract additional private investment, and to secure financing for renewable-energy projects. In addition our commercial-law experts are creating a library of documents to help streamline the process for negotiating and closing agreements and transactions under Power Africa.  Next month in Abuja, we will hold a workshop to increase the use of these documents among utilities and regulators.

     ”Power Africa is just one example of our long-standing commitment to ensuring Africa’s continued growth and prosperity.  Let me give three more. First, we are pushing for the seamless renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, of which Nigeria is the top beneficiary.  As many of you know, AGOA allows 6,400 products from eligible Sub-Saharan African countries to enter the U.S. duty free. For 2013, U.S. imports under AGOA totaled $26.8 billion. Going forward, our hope is that Nigeria will take advantage of AGOA to diversify its economy, fulfilling the vision of the legislation. In fact, AGOA is a key topic that I will discuss in Ethiopia later this week with members of the African Union.”

    She explained the conditions that must be met for the country to attract American companies.

    “But for U.S. businesses to come here, stay here, and help you achieve your full potential, Nigeria needs to take the tough steps that allow businesses to truly thrive. Our companies want to do business in countries that follow the rule of law, maintain ethical standards, abide by workplace safety, encourage workforce training, and protect intellectual property. These are the conditions that will increase trust and confidence among international and local business leaders and encourage further investment,” she said.

  • U.S.: Freeing Chibok girls is our priority

    U.S.: Freeing Chibok girls is our priority

    Freeing the over 200 girls from Boko Haram is now one of the U.S. government’s top priorities, U.S. officials declared yesterday, issuing alarming warnings about the militant group’s expanding reach and growing capacity for more sophisticated and deadlier terror attacks.

    Robert Jackson, a State Department specialist on Africa, said that Boko Haram “has no regard for human life.” He said the Obama administration was boosting Nigeria’s intelligence and law enforcement capabilities, while seeking global sanctions on Boko Haram at the United Nations.

    The girls’ abduction last month from a school in the remote Nigerian town of Chibok triggered global outrage. The extremist Islamist militants have threatened to sell the girls into slavery.

    “Resolving this crisis is now one of the highest priorities of the U.S. government,” Jackson told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee. Boko Haram, he said, “has been killing innocent people in Nigeria for some time, and the attack at Chibok is part of that long, terrible trend.” The group has killed more than 1,000 people this year in attacks on schools, churches and mosques, and now poses a growing threat to neighboring Cameroon, he added.

    Testifying alongside Jackson, Alice Friend, the Defense Department’s principal director for Africa, said Boko Haram was becoming more dangerous by the day.

    The group has proven it is “capable of directly and successfully engaging Nigeria’s armed forces,” she said.

    “In general, Nigeria has failed to mount an effective campaign against Boko Haram,” Friend told the panel. “In the face of a new and more sophisticated threat than it has faced before, its security forces have been slow to adapt with new strategies, new doctrines and new tactics.” She said Nigeria’s own record of atrocities committed by security forces fighting Boko Haram is “even more troubling.”

    Friend said the U.S. has a number of programs to help Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts. These include operations to snuff out bomb plots and provide better coordination between civilian leaders and the military. The U.S. also is trying to foster a regional approach that involves greater cooperation with neighbors Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

    Jackson said an 18-member U.S. team began working in Nigeria earlier this week to provide law enforcement and intelligence assistance. The effort includes manned plane flights and drones. He said the administration was urging Nigeria to better protect human rights as it fights terrorism.

    America, in a factsheet on Wednesday, said it would ensure the insurgents are brought to justice.

    The factsheet reads: “The U.S. and Nigeria also work closely together in multilateral fora, including the UN Security Council, where Nigeria is serving a term as a non-permanent member for 2014-2015.

    “As the President noted in his National Defense University speech in May 2013, countering terrorism requires a holistic approach. We continue to work with Nigeria and other international partners to help promote and support such an approach to Boko Haram. The United States has been working to counter BH for many years, and we will continue to do so.”

    On the counterterrorism assistance to the country, the factsheet noted: “Counterterrorism support to Nigeria focuses on building critical counterterrorism capabilities among Nigeria’s civilian and law enforcement agencies. This supports the larger U.S. objective of encouraging Nigeria to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to counter BH that upholds and enforces the rule of law, provides civilian protection, respects human rights and international norms, and addresses the underlying grievances that BH exploits (including through development gains and through responsive governance).

    “Based on our longstanding concerns about Boko Haram, we have a robust security dialogue and assistance relationship with Nigeria. As part of the Bi-National Commission Framework, we hold regular Regional Security working group meetings focused on the Boko Haram threat and ways our two governments can collaborate on a holistic approach to countering the group.

    “Our security assistance is in line with our efforts to ensure Nigeria takes a comprehensive approach to countering Boko Haram. We are working to build Nigerian law enforcement capacities to investigate terrorism cases, effectively deal with explosive devices, and secure Nigeria’s borders, while underscoring that the most effective counterterrorism policies and practices are those that respect human rights and are underpinned by the rule of law. We are also focused on enabling various Nigerian security services with fusing multiple information streams to develop a better understanding of Boko Haram. Our military assistance supports the professionalisation of key military units and improves their ability to plan and implement appropriate steps to counter Boko Haram and ensure civilian security.”