'Nigeria And Africa Deserves Equal, Mutually Beneficial Partnership'

Eko Hot Blog reports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for greater commitment from developed countries and private organizations to the development of Africa.

The President made this call while addressing World Leaders on Tuesday, at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) taking place in New York, United States.

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He said double standards meted out on the continent were part of factors undermining its growth and process over many decades.

According to Tinubu, who was making a maiden appearance since becoming president, many proclamations have been made, yet our troubles remain close at hand. Failures in good governance have hindered Africa. But broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress, he said.

Commenting on the theme for this year’s summit, he said given this long history, if this year’s theme is to mean anything at all, it must mean something special and particular to Africa.

He also went down memory lane, saying in the aftermath of the Second World War, nations gathered in an attempt to rebuild their war torn societies. A new global system was born and this great body, the United Nations, was established as a symbol and protector of the aspirations and finest ideals of humankind.

He said on the long run, nations saw that it was in their own interests to help others exit the rubble and wasteland of war. Reliable and significant assistance allowed countries emaciated by war to grow into strong and productive societies, Tinubu noted.

The period was a high-water mark for trust in global institutions and the belief that humanity had learned the necessary lessons to move forward in global solidarity and harmony.

“Today and for several decades, Africa has been asking for the same level of political commitment and devotion of resource that described the Marshall Plan.

“We realise that underlying conditions and causes of the economic challenges facing today’s Africa are significantly different from those of post war Europe.

“We are not asking for identical programmes and actions. What we seek is an equally firm commitment to partnership. We seek enhanced international cooperation with African nations to achieve the 2030 agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.

“There are five important points I want to highlight.

“First, if this year’s theme is to have any impact at all, global institutions, other nations and their private sector actors must see African development as a priority, not just for Africa but in their interests as well.

Due to both longstanding internal and external factors, Nigeria’s and Africa’s economic structures have been skewed to impede development, industrial expansion, job creation, and the equitable distribution of wealth.

“If Nigeria is to fulfil its duty to its people and the rest of Africa, we must create jobs and the belief in a better future for our people. We must also lead by example,” he told participants at the UNGA.

Narrowing the discussion down to Nigeria, Tinubu said in a bid to foster economic growth and investor confidence in Nigeria, he removed the costly and corrupt fuel subsidy while also discarding a noxious exchange rate system in his first days in office. Other growth and job oriented reforms are in the wings.

He said, “I am mindful of the transient hardship that reform can cause. However, it is necessary to go through this phase in order to establish a foundation for durable growth and investment to build the economy our people deserve.

“We welcome partnerships with those who do not mind seeing Nigeria and Africa assume larger roles in the global community.

“The question is not whether Nigeria is open for business. The question is how much of the world is truly open to doing business with Nigeria and Africa in an equal, mutually beneficial manner.

“Direct investment in critical industries, opening their ports to a wider range and larger quantity of African exports and meaningful debt relief are important aspects of the cooperation we seek.

Second, we must affirm democratic governance as the best guarantor of the sovereign will and well-being of the people. Military coups are wrong, as is any tilted civilian political arrangement that perpetuates injustice.

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“The wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favour towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems.

“Regarding Niger, we are negotiating with the military leaders. As Chairman of ECOWAS, I seek to help re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region. I extend a hand of friendship to all who genuinely support this mission.” He concluded.

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