President Goodluck
Jonathan yesterday urged United States President Barack Obama to help to “fix
Nigeria.”
“For you to fix the
world, you must fix Africa. For you to fix Africa, you must fix Nigeria,” Dr.
Jonathan told his American counterpart.
Both leaders met at
the Lyndon B. Johnson suite in the Waldorf-Astoria. It was Obama’s first stop
in his swing through town for the United Nations General Assembly.
Noting his trip to
Africa at the beginning of the summer, Obama said he saw common interests in
helping Nigeria improve its rural electrification, empowering young people
through the Young African Leaders programme, improving internal security in a
way consistent with human rights and “making sure” Nigeria’s elections in 2015
continue to improve the country’s democratic process.
And he said the attack
at a Nairobi mall over the weekend “underscores” the level to which all
countries are connected and their need to work together.
“We stand with them
against this terrible outrage that’s occurred, we will provide them with
whatever law enforcement help that is necessary,”
Obama said. “The United
States will continue to work with the entire
continent of Africa and around the
world to make sure that we are dismantling these networks of destruction.”
“I feel the pain of
President Kenyatta … terror anywhere is terror on all of us,” Jonathan said.
Obama was joined by
Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, United
Nations Ambassador Samantha Power and deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors.
In a statement on the
meeting between the two Presidents, Dr. Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati said:
“President Goodluck
Jonathan Monday in New York called for a stronger global consensus and
determination to end the scourge of terrorism as quickly as possible.
“Speaking at talks
with President Barrack Obama of the United States ahead of the opening of the
68th session of the United Nations tomorrow, President Jonathan said that
unless the international community unites and deploys its enormous resources to
eradicate terrorism, it will continue to be embarrassed by terrorist outrages
such as the heinous attack on defenceless shoppers in Nairobi at the weekend
which both leaders strongly condemned.
“President Jonathan
expressed his appreciation of the support and assistance Nigeria has been
receiving from the United States for its fight against domestic terrorism. He
added, however, that Nigeria will welcome even more bilateral collaboration in
this regard.
“The President said
his administration also looked forward to the further strengthening of
Nigeria’s relations with the United States in the areas of trade and economic
development.
“He reassured President
Jonathan of his commitment to the continuous strengthening of Nigeria’s
electoral processes and the country’s democratic institutions.
President Jonathan
also applauded President Obama’s Power Africa and Youth Leadership Initiatives,
saying that both initiatives would complement aspects of his administration’s
agenda for national transformation.
“President Obama had
while welcoming President Jonathan to their meeting at the Waldorf Astoria
Hotel in New York, described Nigeria as a critical partner of the United States
in Africa.
“He assured President
Jonathan that the United States will continue to cooperate with Nigeria in all
possible areas, including the war against domestic and global terrorism.
“President Jonathan
was accompanied to the talks by the Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Prof.
Viola Onwuliri, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Adebowale
Adefuye, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke, and
the Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo.”
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