President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday arrived at the Joint
Base Andrews Airport, Washington D.C. to kick-start his official visit to the
United States. Buhari’s arrival to the
US was announced by the senior special assistant to the president on media and
publicity, Garba Shehu, who tweeted: Pres.@MBuhari has just arrived at the
joint base Andrew’s international airport, Washington D.C. for tomorrow’s
meeting with Pres. Obama. #PMBmeetsOBAMA.’’
The president,
accompanied by 33 delegates, will be hosted by his US counterpart, Barack
Obama, at the White House. The visit is expected to underscore US’ longstanding
friendship with Nigeria.
Leadership report continues:
A White House statement
noted that the US president was looking forward to President Buhari’s visit,
adding that the issue of Boko Haram insurgency would feature prominently in
their parley.
“In addition to hosting
President Buhari at the White House, the United States will welcome President
Buhari’s senior advisers for consultations with US counterparts and other
events aimed at building on the strong US-Nigeria relation,” it added.
Since the visit was
announced, there have been speculations about the objectives and expectations
on both sides, and issues to be discussed during the encounter.
The major meeting of the
two countries’ leaders is to be held today, July 20, although the whole visit
will last four days.
In an unexpected
development, Obama decided to break his administration’s tradition and host
Buhari as his personal guest at the Blair House and not in the White House, the
first of its kind for a Nigerian leader and at no expense to the country. This
might be an indication of US’ readiness to demonstrate a personalized approach
in diplomatic relationships with Nigeria.
In an official statement,
the presidency disclosed that the focus would be on the issues of the economy
and security.
Conversely, among other
issues, the American side is expected to pressure Buhari to reverse Nigeria’s
anti-gay law passed in January 2014. This was clearly stated by the US
assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield,
although most civil society organizations have urged President Buhari not to
listen to the US government on issues of gay rights.
Apart from Obama, Buhari
will meet with several other senior officials, and with representatives of
Nigerians in the American diaspora.
Some believe that the
recent sacking of service chiefs and appointment of replacements might be
connected with the upcoming visit, and that such a decisive move was to
reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy and completely change the military strategy
in the fight against the insurgency.
Our reporter learnt that
a high point of the visit is Buhari’s long-awaited lecture at the United States
Institute of Peace (USIP) on his last day in the country.
Buhari, Obama Meet Over Insecurity, Others Today (Monday)
President Muhammadu
Buhari and his United States counterpart, President Barack Obama, will today
meet at the White House where they will discuss a way forward on the security
issues in Nigeria. They will discuss how to rescue the kidnapped Chibok
students from the dens of Boko Haram.
Nigeria’s ambassador to
the United States, Prof. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, in a telephone chat with
our correspondent in New York, said both leaders will also discuss how to
further cement the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the United
States. Both nations signed a bilateral agreement in 2010 shortly after Adefuye
assumed duties as the envoy in the US.
Adefuye also remarked
that the US as Nigeria’s major strategic partner, would be interested in
supporting the growth, economy and security system of the country under the
leadership of President Buhari.
LEADERSHIP reports that
Buhari is the first African leader that Obama has invited to the White House
less than two months after his inauguration.
As part of the high
regard accorded Buhari, he will also be given a presidential accommodation just
in front of the White House.
The Nigeria’s envoy
pressed further that Buhari would be having a dinner discussion in his honour.
The event is organised by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and The Corporate
Council on Africa, and the president will be addressing the U.S. business
community on his commitment to strengthen ties between the United States and
Nigeria by promoting bilateral trade and combating security threats.
Apart from this, Adefuye
told LEADERSHIP that the president will also be giving remarks and taking
questions at the U.S. Institute of Peace in an event which is co-hosted by the
Atlantic Council, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the
National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, and the
International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
Apart from holding
discussions with the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff,
General Martin Dempsey and the Deputy Secretary of Defence, Robert Work, on
military and defense cooperation, Buhari will also meet with US Vice President
Joe Biden as well as the US Attorney-General, Loretta Lynch, the US Secretary
of Treasury, Jack Lew, the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker and the US
Trade representative, Michael Froman, on United States support for his
administration’s fight against corruption.
Adefuye pressed further
that he will also hold meetings with the United States Senate and Congressional
Committees on Foreign Relations, as well as the Black Caucus of the United
States House of Representatives.
Also, President Buhari
will be having a Town Hall Meeting with the Nigerian community in the United
States and during the event, he will be taking questions on his plans for
Nigeria and how to make the country terrorist-free.
US To Trace Nigerian Stolen Billions, Boost Military Help
Washington DC, July 19,
2015 (Reuters/NAN) The United States said it will help Nigeria’s new leader to
track down billions of dollars in stolen assets and increase U.S. military
assistance to fight Islamic militants.
President Muhammadu
Buhari’s visit to Washington on Monday is viewed by the U.S. administration as
a chance to set the seal on improving ties since he won the 2015 March
election.
U.S. cooperation with
Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, had virtually grounded to a halt over
issues including his refusal to investigate corruption and human rights abuses
by the Nigerian military.
“President Barack Obama
has long seen Nigeria as arguably the most important strategic country in
sub-Saharan Africa.
“The question is would
there be an opportunity to deepen our engagement and that opportunity is now’’,
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Tony Blinken said.
Improving ties with
Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, comes as U.S. relations have cooled
with two other traditional Africa powers, Egypt and South Africa.
U.S. officials have said
they were willing to send military trainers to help Nigeria counter a six-year
old northern insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist movement.
Since Buhari’s election,
Washington has committed five million dollars in new support for a
multi-national task force set up to fight the group.
“This is in addition to
34 million dollars it is providing to Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger for
equipment and logistics.
“Buhari’s move on July 13
to fire military chiefs appointed by Jonathan clears the way for more military
cooperation’’, U.S. officials say.
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