Abuja NePAD Summit and Evian G-8: Africans

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000946

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR E, EB, AF/W AND AF/EPS


CAIRO FOR MAXSTADT


E.O.12958: DECL: 22 MAY 2008
TAGS: PREL EFIN EAID NI XA
SUBJECT: Abuja NePAD Summit and Evian G-8: Africans
Uneasy About Larger Circle


Ref: 02 Abuja 1913


Classified by DCM Andrews. Reason: 1.5(d)



1. (C) Summary: Nigeria's NePAD guru says Africans
uneasy about expanding G-8 dialogue to other
developing countries and limiting discussion to growth
and international cooperation. The Africans also want
the G-8 to break market-access "gridlock" in Geneva.
Abuja NePAD Summit set for afternoon of May 28. End
Summary.



2. (U) DCM May 22 attended a briefing for G-8 COMs at
the French Ambassador's residence. Ambassador Isaac
Aluko-Olokun from the Ministry of Cooperation and
Integration in Africa was the briefer. French DCM
hosted. All G-8 country missions and the EC were
represented at the one-hour session.



3. (C) While formally welcoming more developing
countries to the dialogue with the G-8 and profusely
thanking the G-8 for its "generosity in bringing
Africa to global attention," Aluko-Olokun suggested
many African states were growing uneasy about the
larger group expected at Evian. Africa would preserve
its special status, Aluko-Olokun agreed, but, like a
senior wife who sees a younger co-spouse entering the
household, there were fears of marginalization. Bring
in other donors and recipients, he argued, just do not
let Africa be "pushed back" on the agenda; the
experts-to-experts relationship needs to be nourished
and sustained.



4. (C) "The present global situation is not conducive
to Africa's interests," Aluko-Olokun opined. Too much
attention was being devoted to Afghanistan, Iraq and
the Middle East. "Our leaders want to be center
stage." He offered, however, that NePAD "concretely
had not delivered much" in terms of progress toward
poverty alleviation, development of democracy and
economic growth. He did not defend NePAD's
performance but contended that, since sub-Saharan
Africa seems less likely than any other region to
reach Millenium Development Goals, the region needed
special assistance. NePAD, in turn, was urging all
African countries to submit occasional reports on
progress toward MDG benchmarks.



5. (C) Aluko-Olokun said Africa had questions about
the G-8 plan to limit discussion at Evian to growth
and international cooperation. There needed also to
be an exchange on peace and security; one on terrorism
would also be useful.



6. (C) Aluko-Olokun said African states were still
waiting for individual G-8 countries to provide
detailed information on which of the 110 points of the
Kananaskis Action Plan fit best with respective
capabilities and national interests.



7. (C) Everyone is trying to get ready for Cancun,
Aluko-Olokun observed, but talks in Geneva appeared
deadlocked. The NePAD countries wanted the G-8 to
"break the gridlock" and address issues of market
access.



8. (C) "The debt issue remains very sticky," Aluko-
Olokun commented. There is not enough G-8 money to
fund debt relief for all HIPC-compliant countries.
Moreover, middle-income developing countries (such as
Nigeria) "cannot service their debts fiscally," Aluko-
Olokun averred. "We want France to broach that topic
with the G-8 at Evian," he added.



9. (C) Aluko-Olokun felt there needed to be ODA
reform. The claims that there was "a lot of money" to
be had might be true in theory, but the "delivery
system [was] too difficult. The European Development
Fund was particularly hard to access, he added, noting
that it would be good for Nigeria if more ODA went to
Niger, Chad and Benin; progress in those countries
would ease strains on Nigeria, he said.

10. (C) During the discussion period, the EU HOM
offered that the EU was "open to budgetary support"
for Nigeria. DCM asked him a day later exactly what
he meant, noting that the USG was a ways from such a
step. HOM responded that nothing was in the offing
and that the EU was trying to encourage Nigeria along
the road to reform.

11. (SBU) The NePAD Summit will take place on the
margins of Nigeria's Presidential inaugural events.
It is slated for May 29, 2003, from 1400 to 1800, in
Abuja.
JETER