By Fawaz Adebisi
The United States Vice President, Kamala Harris and the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres have expressed their strong support for Nigeria’s efforts to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
In separate telephone conversations with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, both leaders praised President Tinubu for spearheading the peace moves in the region.
It was gathered that the crisis in Niger began on July 26, 2023, when soldiers from the Presidential Guard attempted to depose President Mohamed Bazoum.
However, President Tinubu swiftly rejected this threat to democracy and initiated dialogue with all parties involved to restore constitutional order in the country.
During her conversation with President Tinubu, Vice President Kamala Harris commended the reform initiatives of the Nigerian government and encouraged the country to continue in that direction.
She also pledged support for democracy in Africa, particularly in the West African sub-region, and offered assistance to Nigeria in combating terrorism.
Vice President Harris also emphasized the importance of embracing energy transitions in Africa, including Nigeria. She urged the country to pursue investments in the private sector and promised the US’s support in this regard.
In response, President Tinubu expressed gratitude for Vice President Harris’s encouragement and acknowledged the challenges posed by the recent developments in Niger Republic.
He assured her that ECOWAS, under his leadership, would do everything necessary to restore democracy in Niger and sought the support of the United States in this endeavor.
President Tinubu also discussed the issue of fuel subsidies in Nigeria and the need for foreign direct investment to offset the effects of subsidy removal.
“We had to get rid of the fuel subsidy that is laden with fraud with a few people appropriating the wealth of the country to themselves.
“We would need the US to help push for investments that will help alleviate the effects of subsidy removal in Nigeria. We need foreign direct investment to come in.
“We have abundant gas resources in the country and not been able to fund gas pipelines to Europe and compete in that gas market is a handicap,” he said.
Climate change was another topic of discussion, with President Tinubu stating that Nigeria is committed to exploring alternate energy sources.
However, he called on developed nations to understand the unique challenges faced by developing countries, including those in Africa.
In his conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President Tinubu reiterated his dedication to resolving the crisis in Niger and expressed hope for a positive outcome.
He stressed the importance of the UN’s support in restoring democracy and building institutions in the troubled country.
Earlier, Secretary-General Guterres had pledged the commitment of the UN to support Tinubu’s peace efforts in Niger.
The discussions between President Tinubu, Vice President Harris, and Secretary-General Guterres also covered strengthening bilateral relations between their respective countries and collaborative efforts on global and regional issues.
Matters related to defending democracy in West Africa and The Sahel, as well as digital inclusion, were also part of the 40-minute conversations.
