President Bola Tinubu has advised the United States to ensure its policy’s are intentionally collaborative with independent African democracies when under attack of anti-democratic forces.
Tinubu who gave the advice in Abuja when he received the U.S. Presidential Envoy and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Molly Phee, said this would help to avert forceful takeover of government by external forces,
The President noted that American-backed development finance and multilateral institutions, designed to support war-torn Europe after World War II, requires swift and comprehensive reform to meet the developmental requirements of younger democracies in Africa.
“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”.
The President affirmed that the crisis in Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme successfully for the benefit of Nigerians.
He noted that he takes a queue from no nation, but will only advance the interest of the Nigerian state in his approach toward ECOWAS’ handling of the regional standoff.
“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I will continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms”.
Tinubu reiterated that War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct.
Pledging its support for the position of ECOWAS, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy expressed the high regards the U.S. Administration had 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 further discussions.
“We appreciate your willingness to create an enabling environment, for that President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of UNGA.
“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.
Accepting the invitation, President Tinubu added that the work of perfecting democracy was perpetual, citing recent developments in America, and other emerging democracies in the world.
