Abuja, Aug, 26, 2023 – President Bola Tinubu says war between ECOWAS and Niger in is not ideal for his economic reforms nor for other countries in the West African sub-region.
He, however, said the defence of democracy was sacrosanct.
Tinubu said this while hosting Ambassador Molly Phee, the U.S. Presidential Envoy and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, at the presidential villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He affirmed that the crisis in the Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme successfully for the benefit of Nigerians,
“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms.
“War is not ideal for my economic reforms or for the region, but the defence of democracy is sacrosanct.
“The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time.”
He advised that U.S. policy to be collaborative with independent African democracies at a time when they are under assault by anti-democratic forces within and outside of the continent.
Tinubu said American-backed development finance and multilateral institutions, which were designed to support war-torn Europe after World War II, required swift and comprehensive reform to meet the development requirements of younger democracies in Africa, which operate in authoritarian-crowded environments, such that the legitimate yearnings of Africans would no longer be manipulated to serve the narrow aims of self-seeking demagogues through unconstitutional takeovers of power.
“Yes, the private sector will lead the way within an enabling environment we create for them, but the U.S. Government must be innovative in its thinking and systematically create incentives for U.S. industrial investment in Nigeria.
“Under my leadership, Nigeria stands ready to address their specific regulatory, tax, and environmental concerns. I am determined to create prosperity for all Nigerian families.”
The U.S. Special Presidential Envoy expressed the high regard the U.S. Administration has for the leadership of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu, and extended an exclusive invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City to advance discussions further in late September.
“We know there is more we can do to incentivize large-scale American investment in Nigeria, and we are committed to working closely with you to achieve that as part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian economy and the regional economy.
“We appreciate your willingness to create an enabling environment for that.
“President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of the UNGA, and you are the only African leader he has requested to meet. It is a mark of his high regard for your leadership,” the U.S. Special Envoy said. (GBN)
