Visit to Japan by His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
(Outline and Evaluation)
24 May 2001
His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, paid an official working visit to Japan from 21 to 23 May. The following is an outline and evaluation of the visit.
1. Outline
(1) Summit Meeting, Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister Koizumi (22 May)
- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had a lively exchange of views with President Obasanjo. This meeting follows the dialogue between the leaders of developing countries and G8 leaders held immediately prior to the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit in July 2000, the meeting with three presidents of African countries on the occasion of the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, and the visit of former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to African nations in January 2001.
- Though President Obasanjo has visited more than ten times in the past and is regarded as a friend of Japan, this was his first official visit to Japan. Furthermore, this was Prime Minister Koizumi's first meeting with an African leader since his assumption of office.
- Prime Minister Koizumi conveyed that Japan's approach to its foreign policy on Africa had not changed, namely that "there will be no stability and prosperity in the world in the 21st century unless Africa's problems are resolved." Prime Minister Koizumi went on to state that he wanted to hold dialogue with Nigeria on Africa's problems and the challenges facing the international community and enhance their friendly relations, without limiting issues to bilateral relations. More specifically, he affirmed that he wanted areas such as conflict resolution, refugee aid, development assistance and measures for combating infectious diseases to represent the axis of cooperation.
- Noting that he would like Japan to consider Nigeria as a "special partner," President Obasanjo made reference to the Millennium Africa Programme (MAP). Prime Minister Koizumi responded that Japan was supporting and thinking highly of MAP, noting that he would like Nigeria to use the Ministerial Meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in December 2001 as a forum to promote MAP.
- President Obasanjo requested that since the United States of America had decided to donate US$200 million to the Global Health Fund proposed as an outcome of the African Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other Related Infectious Diseases held in April in Abuja, he would like Japan to cooperate too. Prime Minister Koizumi responded that Japan would like to cooperate appropriately.
(2) Signing of an Exchange of Notes on Assistance for Increased Food Production and Cultural Grant Aid (22 May)
- After the Summit, in the presence of Prime Minister Koizumi and President Obasanjo, a signing ceremony was held in which Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Tanaka and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sule Lamido of the Federal Republic of Nigeria exchanged notes on Grant Aid for Increased Food Production Assistance and Cultural Grant Aid for the Extension of Program Software to Nigeria's State-owned Television Station.
(3) Africa Symposium (22 May)
- The Africa Symposium was jointly hosted by African diplomatic corps in Tokyo and the United Nations University as an event commemorating the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). At the Symposium, President Obasanjo delivered an address, setting forth plans to raise MAP at the G8 Genoa Summit in July 2001.
(4) Business Forum (22 May)
- At the Business Forum jointly hosted by the Japan-Nigeria Association and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), President Obasanjo gave a speech on Nigeria's investment environment, appealing to Japanese companies to invest in Nigeria.
(5) Broad Contact Across Sectors
- President Obasanjo received courtesy calls from Foreign Minister Tanaka and former Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiyohiro Araki, and met with former Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori and Ryutaro Hashimoto, with whom he is acquainted, had a working lunch with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, and a working breakfast with the Japan-Nigeria Friendly Parliament League, which is chaired by Muneo Suzuki, a member of the House of Representatives. Furthermore, in addition to receiving courtesy calls from Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Noboru Hatakeyama of JETRO, President Kunihiko Saito of the Japan Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Federation of Economic Organizations' Committee on Sub-Saharan Africa, the Japan-Nigeria Association, and others, President Obasanjo had a useful exchange of views with people from various sectors in Japan.
2. Significance and Evaluation
(1) Development of Global Diplomacy
Challenges facing the international community, such as poverty, conflict and infectious diseases, are concentrated in developing countries, particularly in Africa. President Obasanjo of Nigeria, a powerful nation in Africa, is a leader capable of representing developing countries as well as Africa in articulating such challenges. It is conceivable that the broad exchanges of views on the above challenges and the forging of personal relationships of trust with President Obasanjo were significant in terms of the future development of Japan's diplomacy, including at the G8 Genoa Summit in July 2001.
(2) Confirmation of the Basic Direction of Japan's Foreign Policy on Africa
The basic direction of Japan's foreign policy on Africa was reconfirmed under the new Koizumi Administration, namely: "Based on the recognition that 'there will be no stability and prosperity in the world in the 21st century unless Africa's problems are resolved,'" as stated by former Prime Minister Mori, "Japan will actively promote cooperation with Africa, with development support and conflict prevention/refugee aid acting as though they were two wheels of a cart." Japan also explained future developments in its foreign policy on Africa, including the TICAD Ministerial Meeting to be held this December, and requested cooperation from Nigeria.
(3) Further Development of Japan-Nigeria Relations
Nigeria is a regional power with the largest population in Africa, accounting for approximately 20% of sub-Saharan Africa, and has the largest military force. In recent years, it has recovered from military to civilian rule and its stability and prosperity hold considerable meaning not only for regions in West Africa, but for regions across the whole of Africa. Japan agreed to further promote dialogue and cooperation with Nigeria, which not only represents Africa, but also developing countries, as a "special partner" regarding the challenges facing Africa and the international community as a whole, and not only those issues concerning Japan-Nigeria bilateral relations. Furthermore, Japan affirmed that it would continue to support the political and economic reform efforts being promoted by President Obasanjo as he contends with various difficulties, and was able to identify specific areas that form the pillar of Japan-Nigeria bilateral relations. Formation of a parliamentary friendship league in Nigeria was also examined in response to requests from Japan's parliamentary friendship league. Activation of exchange of politicians is essential in terms of deepening relations between the two countries. Moreover, a joint Japan-United States research group on combating infections diseases, an information technology (IT) sector research group and a JETRO-managed research mission on Nigeria's investment environment are being considered for dispatch to Nigeria.
Back to Index