US: No Plan for Military Base in Nigeria
•AFRICOM misunderstood
By Yusuph Olaniyonu, 01.31.2008
The United States yesterday clarified its African Command (AFRICOM) project, maintaining that there was no plan to establish a military base in Nigeria.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos at the end of a listening tour she undertook across four states in the country, the new US ambassador, Robin Sanders, also outlined a policy plan tagged “Vision for 2008” with which the American embassy aims to help Nigerians achieve their socio-economic and political objectives in the new year.
“I have listened and watched with interest the dialogue played out in the Nigerian press on what AFRICOM is or is not, and what its relationship is or is not with Nigeria. Let me state clearly and categorically that the only thing new about AFRICOM is the name AFRICOM.
“It is unfortunate that there is a perception that our efforts to better respond to our African partners have been viewed here in Nigeria as nefarious. Why would we do such a thing to a strategic friend and partner such as Nigeria? There is not and has never been any desire by my government to have a military base in Nigeria or to militarise Africa or the sub-region.
“The bi-lateral relationship between our two nations is strong it is a partnership, and the resources of AFRICOM which have always been there, should be viewed as a positive addition to that friendship,” Sanders said.
She further explained that the AFRICOM project was a plan to better co-ordinate the humanitarian, disaster and technical assistance which the US had always given Africa by putting the resources in one location, that is in Stuttgart, Germany, instead of the three locations where the facilities were housed before. She said the plan was based on requests from African nations.
Describing herself as “Sister to Nigerians”, Sanders, an African-American, said her government saw Nigeria as her “most strategic partner” in Africa “on a number of political, regional and economic issues” and that she was determined to strengthen the relationship.
The ambassador noted that her tour of Lagos, Plateau, Delta and Rivers where she dialogued with community leaders, members of the civil society, business people and government officials showed that “Nigerian people want an evolving and transparent democracy that advances their life goals and that they see the United States as an advocate and partner in these efforts, particularly on anti-corruption issues”
She said the US embassy’s Vision for 2008 was a “framework for partnership” involving four policy pillars which are governing justly, transparently and democratically; investing in people; peace and security; and enhancing business and economic ties.
She highlighted several projects which her government plans to focus her aids to Nigeria in the new year as including strengthening rule of law through co-operation with the National Assembly , fighting corruption through continued technical assistance to the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Extractive Industries Transpa-rency Initiative (NEITI) and civil society groups on issues of fiscal accountability; and arresting the spread of HIV/AIDS through partnerships with public health industries.
While promising to continue with the listening tours until she has gone through the whole country, Sanders said: “The United States wants to partner Nigeria’s federal and state governments on investing in their people in a transformational way. I am dedicated to a partnership with stewardship that works towards realising the aspirations for a better quality of life for all Nigerian people. The way forward for the US-Nigerian relationship is through dialogue, co-operation and partnership.”
