HOW CORRUPTION IS ‘KILLING’ NIGERIA, BY U.S. CONSUL GENERAL

U.S.
Consul General Jeffrey Hawkins yesterday had an interactive session with the
civil society at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). His
speech details America’s commitment to Nigeria, the fight against terrorism,
aids and many more

The U.S. Government and American people are interested in your
success because we recognise Nigeria as a strategic center of gravity in its
own right. But we also recognise some broader truths. Across the continent,
communities are struggling: to find productive paths for growing youth
populations; to defeat corruption; to turn a corner in improving governance,
infrastructure and public health; to hold together different faiths and regions
and to take on the drivers of extremism. In other words, Nigeria’s challenges
are Africa’s challenges. And if we can help Nigeria chart a secure, prosperous
and democratic course, then Nigeria’s successes can be Africa’s as well —
successes we can measure in improved lives, livelihoods and leadership in the
region.

The U.S. Government maintains a limited number of Binational
Commission relationships with nations demonstrating a high degree of
friendship, trust, and cooperation. As one of our most important partners in
Africa, Nigeria is one of those nations.

Created in 2010, the BNC is composed of five working groups,
which collectively address issues of governance and democracy, regional
security, energy and investment, agriculture, and the Niger Delta. The BNC’s
working groups have met periodically over the past three years in Abuja,
Washington, and most recently in Port Harcourt last October, when we convened
the Niger Delta Working Group. Next week’s meeting in Abuja will involve the
Regional Security Working Group.

While the discussions next week will thus be largely focused on
security-related issues, the participants will take into account the many
critical aspects of U.S.-Nigerian relations: trade and development links that
are creating new jobs here and in the United States; partnerships that promote
stability throughout Sub-Saharan Africa; and the shared imperative of defeating
violent extremism – not merely through the disciplined use of force, but also
through a sustained effort to deliver good governance. We intend to include
Nigerian civil society in this dialogue as much as possible, because you
deserve to play a central role in shaping the public discourse.

Three years after its inception, we can proudly say that the BNC
has grown into a forum for frank conversations to keep our bilateral relations
on track; into a convening point for the many committed actors in both our
governments; and into an expansive dialogue to turn common cause into creative
thinking and coordinated action.

While the U.S.-Nigerian relationship is extremely broad, if
someone were to ask me to name the area of the relationship of which I am most
proud, there would be no doubt in my mind: it is our people-to-people
relationships.

Over 1.5 million Nigerians live in the United States, while an
estimated 31,000 U.S. citizens live in Nigeria. Thousands of Nigerians come to
the U.S. every year as immigrants, tourists, students, and workers. Our robust
exchange programs also play a central role in expanding these ties. Over 7,000
bright young Nigerians are pursuing higher education at universities across the
U.S.

And for those Nigerians who wish to visit the United States, my
goal is to make the visa application process as painless and pleasant as
possible. That’s why, in the last year, we have invested in new staff,
installed new equipment, and overhauled our processes. I’m happy to say that
the wait time for a Non-Immigrant Visa appointment is now just a fraction of
what it once was. We can always improve more, but I am proud of the work we
have done to better serve visa applicants and American citizens in Nigeria.

And speaking of welcoming Nigerians to the United States, in
2014 we are looking forward to inviting a very special set of Nigerian guests
to our country. President Obama recently announced that the Washington
Fellowship for Young African Leaders will select 500 young Africans with a track
record of leadership and service to their communities, and send them to top
American universities for trainings in entrepreneurship, management and
leadership. Following the trainings, fellows will be connected with internship
and job opportunities at top companies working in Africa, such as Microsoft and
Ethiopian Airlines.

I am sure there are future Washington Fellows in the audience
today. We will announce the application information in the coming months, and
we encourage all interested Nigerians aged 25-35 to apply.

Not all of our youth programs are grand in scale. Sometimes the
smaller, targeted activities we undertake yield real dividends for the United
States and for the Nigerian people. A great example of this is the Carrington
Youth Fellowship Initiative. Each year, a handful of young officers at the
Consulate mentor and support fifteen young Nigerians who have ideas for
community service projects. The results regularly astound me. The Carrington
fellows have touched the lives of tens of thousands of their fellows Nigerians,
and they have themselves developed into more capable and confident leaders.

Through their work with the Carrington Fellows, the Consulate’s
young officers are learning a hugely important lesson in diplomacy: the only
way to truly understand a place is to form real friendships with its people.

The Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative and our other
people-to-people programs are vehicles for promoting these important
interactions. I invite all interested Nigerians, especially young people, to
apply for Fulbright and Humphrey fellowship programs, participate in our public
affairs events, and take advantage of our Consulate’s Information Resource
Center. When you use our resources to develop yourself into a more effective
leader, we benefit just as much as you do.

Another demonstration of our commitment to Nigeria is
our significant financial assistance to improve the lives of average Nigerians,
most of which is provided through non-government entities. For example, since
2004, the American people have invested over 3 billion of their tax dollars
into combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. We support anti-retroviral treatments for
over 400,000 Nigerians, as well as over 250,000 orphans and vulnerable children
impacted by the disease. Since 2010, we have made testing and counseling
possible for over 2 million others.

This year’s U.S. Foreign Assistance to Nigeria is $697 million,
of which about $400 million is dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS or other health
programming.

We are proud of the help that we have been able to provide, and
we will continue to work with our NGO, private sector and government partners
in Nigeria to support policies that help steer the country down the path to
stability and prosperity.

As you know, when we talk about Mission Nigeria, we’re referring
to both the Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos. I sometimes
like to joke with my colleagues at Embassy Abuja that we in Lagos got the
better end of the deal. Lagos is the most populous city in Sub-Saharan Africa,
it is a major hub for the oil and gas, finance, ICT and entertainment
industries, and it is booming. To me, Lagos represents the enormous economic
potential of Nigeria.

American companies are increasingly taking advantage of the
opportunities to be found in Lagos in particular and in Nigeria as a whole.
Nigeria is now the second most popular destination for U.S. Foreign Direct
Investment in Africa. Many of the leading U.S.-based global corporations have
big footprints here: General Electric, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Procter and Gamble,
and Pfizer, to name just a few. And of course, companies like Chevron,
ExxonMobil are key players in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, which is the
sixth largest exporter of oil to the United States.

It is squarely in the interest of the United States to see that
Nigeria becomes an even more attractive place to do business for these
companies and for the businesses that are yet to arrive. Nigeria’s population
is expected to double within thirty or forty years, meaning tens of millions of
young people will be entering the labour market in the coming decades. Nigeria
desperately needs the investments that can provide jobs for this burgeoning
youth population. Yet the economic growth and investment necessary are hindered
by one especially pernicious phenomenon: corruption.

Corruption in Nigeria diverts financial resources from building
roads, and bridges, curtailing the development of infrastructure that is needed
to make Nigeria more competitive. It drains the federal treasury of funds that
could do wonders in expanding and improving the education provided to millions
of Nigerian children, which in turn would enhance Nigeria’s economic future.
And corruption forestalls additional spending on medical clinics and preventive
health care – spending that countless studies have shown reap long-term
economic rewards for a country when properly implemented. In short, corruption
is a scourge that undermines virtually everything that could move Nigeria
towards a brighter economic future.

While we recognise that fighting corruption is primarily a
Nigerian problem that requires Nigerians solutions, the U.S. Government is
partnering with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to provide
technical assistance in anti-corruption efforts. We also regularly hear from
civil society leaders regarding their concerns on this issue. As you all know
so well, this is a complicated, tremendously difficult issue to solve. Civil
society, the media, NGOs, are key watchdogs on this issue. We are open to
dialoguing with government and civil society about ways that the United States
can be a good partner to Nigeria as it takes on this issue.

Another major long-term challenge to Nigeria has been power
generation. My friends in the private sector regularly tell me that solving
Nigeria’s electricity woes would unleash enormous levels of economic growth
that would benefit both our countries. For this reason, and because of our
historic friendship, Nigeria has been named a focus country in President
Obama’s Power Africa initiative.

Power Africa aims to double the number of
Sub-Saharan African households with access to electricity. The U.S. will
put $7 billion of its own money into the initiative, but our contribution alone
will not be sufficient to make up the energy deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our
resources are designed to incentivize the private sector to get involved. And
it’s working. We have recorded over $9 billion in initial commitments from
private companies; General Electric plans to invest over $1 billion in Nigeria,
and Heirs Holdings, which is based here in Ikoyi, is pledging $2.5 billion.
We’re also working to support the Jonathan Administration to ensure that the
power sector reform process is a success. Helping to light up Nigeria makes
sense for the United States economically, and it’s also the right thing for us
to do as a friend to this great nation.

There are not many countries with which the United States shares
a relationship as deep and multi-faceted as the one we have with Nigeria. And
that brings me back to the one of the primary reasons I am addressing you
today: the forthcoming meeting of the U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission
meeting in Abuja on regional security. During the meetings, we plan to reaffirm
our joint commitment and partnership to work with the Government of Nigeria
toward lasting security in northern Nigeria – with a particular focus on human
rights.

The last meeting of the BNC took place in October 2012 in Port
Harcourt; it brought together politicians, technocrats, and civil society
leaders to devise creative solutions to the challenges of unemployment and
environmental degradation in the Niger Delta. The U.S. has been working since
to put into place a programme that will encourage citizens and governments in
the South-South to work towards better governance. Ultimately, the results of
this effort will depend even more on you – Nigeria’s citizens and civil society
– than on us.

We value the role that Nigeria plays in preserving stability on
the African continent. Nigeria is the largest contributor to peace keeping
operations in Africa, and the 4th largest contributor to peace keeping
operations globally. Nigeria plays a major role ECOWAS, and it led the
sub-region’s response to the military coup in Mali and the political crisis in
Cote d’Ivoire. Despite the demands on its security forces at home, Nigeria has
been a key contributor to the United Nations peace keeping force in Mali. The
United States recognises the sacrifices that Nigerian troops are making to
ensure stability in West Africa, and we deeply appreciate those efforts.

We are working hard to support Nigeria as it supports stability
in Africa. The U.S. Government is investing considerable resources to provide
cutting-edge equipment and specialised training for Nigeria’s peace-keeping
units. We also include Nigeria in our International Military Education and
Training programme, which provides Nigerian military officers with some of the
same training and best practices that our own officers are exposed to.

Our security cooperation stems in part from the recognition that
our countries face a shared threat in the form of terrorism. We condemn in the
strongest terms the extremist attacks currently being carried out in Northeast
Nigeria that have claimed the lives of countless innocent civilians and members
of Nigerian security forces. We stand forthright with the Government and people
of Nigeria in opposing those who seek to harm innocents.

As our two governments discuss security issues during the
Bi-National Commission, we urge Nigerians, regardless of geographic location,
to recognise that insecurity affects the entire county. Boko Haram attacks
deter investment and trade, even here in the Southwest. We urge all Nigerians
to engage on issues of security, regardless of your state of origin. We call on
the Nigerian Government and our friends in civil society to promote efforts to address
the underlying drivers of instability. Addressing insecurity in the Northeast
and elsewhere will require providing real alternatives to those most at risk of
radicalization. It is our belief that long-term stability and prosperity can be
achieved only when respect for human rights, rule of law, and security are
available to all Nigerians.

Over the past decade, the United States has learned many hard
lessons about fighting terrorists and carrying out protracted
counter-insurgency operations. We have learned the importance of protecting
civilian populations and ensuring that human rights are respected. We have
learned the necessity of establishing trust with local communities. And we have
learned that constant effort is needed to inculcate these considerations into
our brave men and women who go into harm’s way to keep us safe.

Because we believe these lessons are important to any military
battling extremist insurgents, we incorporate them into the training programmes
that we provide to Nigerian units. We look forward to continuing the dialogue
with the Government of Nigeria on this important issue, just as we look forward
to identifying additional areas where we can cooperate in the fight against
extremist violence.

While the fight against extremists dominates newspaper headlines
and is a challenge that both our countries face, there is no single issue that
defines our relationship.  As I have described today, the ties between
Nigeria and the United States are deep and multi-faceted, and they will remain
so.

I would like to leave you with a personal story that captures
why I am so optimistic about the relationship between our two countries. This
past March I was traveling through Southeast Nigeria, and I was invited to
dinner at the home of a respected elder statesman. The living room was packed
with his friends, colleagues, and leaders from nearby communities.

I told the assembled crowd that one of the main reasons for
my trip was to meet with U.S. citizens and hear their ideas about how the U.S.
Consulate could better serve them. I decided to take a quick poll: I asked the
room of about forty people if there were any Greencard holders or U.S. citizens
present.

To my astonishment, half the room put up a hand.

Some were doctors, lawyers or engineers who were home on
vacation. Others were entrepreneurs who decided to return home to invest in
their communities. There were civil society members committed to positive
social change in their country of birth. Nearly all of them had prospered in
the United States and were interested in using their talents and expertise to
benefit Nigeria. We swapped stories about my home state of California and joked
about the joys and challenges of living in Nigeria. Of course, these Nigerians
and Nigerian-Americans showered me with the Nigerian hospitality that I have
come to so appreciate.

I left that dinner with the sense that the U.S.-Nigerian
relationship goes far beyond anything that can be cobbled together by diplomats
or politicians – it is a relationship sustained by two peoples deeply connected
to each other, and it is a relationship that will continue to yield tremendous
value for our two countries.

In closing, let me commend you for the work that you have done
and continue to do to enhance human rights and good governance. Civil society
has a vital role to play and should be allowed space in shaping the national
discourse. You can advance national conversations about security, human rights,
democracy promotion, poverty reduction, and trade and investment in Nigeria,
and we strongly encourage you to pursue every opportunity to do so.

Nigeria’s greatest strengths are both its national unity and its
great diversity. When leaders across Nigeria’s ethnic, religious, regional and
political divides work together, there is no obstacle or problem they cannot
address and overcome.