Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ABUJA2497
2007-12-03 16:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
NIGERIA: AFRICOM LEADERSHIP VISIT ABUJA
how-toVZCZCXRO2348 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #2497 3371654 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031654Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1585 RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 8371 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002497
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV MASS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: AFRICOM LEADERSHIP VISIT ABUJA
Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002497
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV MASS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: AFRICOM LEADERSHIP VISIT ABUJA
Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On November 28-29, Ambassador Mary Carlin
Yates and Vice Admiral Robert Moeller visited Abuja to
discuss AFRICOM with Nigerian government officials, ECOWAS
Commission President Chambas, Gulf of Guinea Energy Security
Strategy (GGESS) member representatives, and members of the
Nigerian press. Coming on the heels of the GON's
pronouncement that AFRICOM was welcome neither on Nigerian
soil nor in any other part of West Africa, the visit was a
timely outreach to both key decision-makers and the public.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Ambassador Yates and Vice Admiral Moeller visited
Chief of Defense Staff Owoye Azazi, National Security Adviser
Abdullahi Mukhtar, ECOWAS Commission President Mohammed Ibn
Chambas, and Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe. They also spoke
to members of the Nigerian and international press, and
lunched with GGESS reps. In all venues, Ambassador Yates
and Vice Admiral Moeller emphasized that AFRICOM enhances USG
military activity in Africa, respects the opinion of both
regional and national entities, is not a militarization of
U.S. diplomacy, and poses no threat to the sovereignty of any
nation. Responses from both our Nigerian and ECOWAS
interlocutors were surprisingly consistent, and for the most
part varied only in the intensity with which they were
stated. Each bemoaned the belated U.S. effort to inform
African nations and regional groupings of AFRICOM's purpose
and make-up, expressed relief that AFRICOM was not about
bases or colonialism, and warily agreed that AFRICOM could
benefit the continent. The lasting impression, however, with
the exception of NSA Mukhtar, was that each seemed to feel a
sense of relief and satisfaction that senior Africom
leadership had "finally" come to Abuja personally. As FM
Maduekwe said, "Ah, NOW I have heard it straight from the
horse's mouth."
3. (C) Subseqent press coverage accurately captured the
principals' salient points. Editorial comment, however, was
decidely against AFRICOM and the GON garnered applause for
the opposition to the new command.
4. (C) COMMENT: Much of Nigerian criticism of AFRICOM seems
to be rooted simply in the fact that Nigerians were not
consulted prior to its creation; stated concerns about
sovereignty, oil security, and a new Cold War may largely be
posturing. This visit appears to some degree to have
mollified wounded egos, and while the GON's negative,
widely-publicized pronouncements have been too loud to enable
much of a public retraction of their stated positions, Post
believes we will begin to see subtle signs of a softened
position. To wit, we have heard of the November 30 creation
of an "Interministerial Committee on AFRICOM," described to
us as a direct result of the visit. Post will continue to
monitor the evolving Nigerian position on the subject. END
COMMENT.
5. (U) Vice Admiral Moeller's and Ambassador Yates' staff
have cleared this message.
SANDERS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV MASS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: AFRICOM LEADERSHIP VISIT ABUJA
Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On November 28-29, Ambassador Mary Carlin
Yates and Vice Admiral Robert Moeller visited Abuja to
discuss AFRICOM with Nigerian government officials, ECOWAS
Commission President Chambas, Gulf of Guinea Energy Security
Strategy (GGESS) member representatives, and members of the
Nigerian press. Coming on the heels of the GON's
pronouncement that AFRICOM was welcome neither on Nigerian
soil nor in any other part of West Africa, the visit was a
timely outreach to both key decision-makers and the public.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Ambassador Yates and Vice Admiral Moeller visited
Chief of Defense Staff Owoye Azazi, National Security Adviser
Abdullahi Mukhtar, ECOWAS Commission President Mohammed Ibn
Chambas, and Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe. They also spoke
to members of the Nigerian and international press, and
lunched with GGESS reps. In all venues, Ambassador Yates
and Vice Admiral Moeller emphasized that AFRICOM enhances USG
military activity in Africa, respects the opinion of both
regional and national entities, is not a militarization of
U.S. diplomacy, and poses no threat to the sovereignty of any
nation. Responses from both our Nigerian and ECOWAS
interlocutors were surprisingly consistent, and for the most
part varied only in the intensity with which they were
stated. Each bemoaned the belated U.S. effort to inform
African nations and regional groupings of AFRICOM's purpose
and make-up, expressed relief that AFRICOM was not about
bases or colonialism, and warily agreed that AFRICOM could
benefit the continent. The lasting impression, however, with
the exception of NSA Mukhtar, was that each seemed to feel a
sense of relief and satisfaction that senior Africom
leadership had "finally" come to Abuja personally. As FM
Maduekwe said, "Ah, NOW I have heard it straight from the
horse's mouth."
3. (C) Subseqent press coverage accurately captured the
principals' salient points. Editorial comment, however, was
decidely against AFRICOM and the GON garnered applause for
the opposition to the new command.
4. (C) COMMENT: Much of Nigerian criticism of AFRICOM seems
to be rooted simply in the fact that Nigerians were not
consulted prior to its creation; stated concerns about
sovereignty, oil security, and a new Cold War may largely be
posturing. This visit appears to some degree to have
mollified wounded egos, and while the GON's negative,
widely-publicized pronouncements have been too loud to enable
much of a public retraction of their stated positions, Post
believes we will begin to see subtle signs of a softened
position. To wit, we have heard of the November 30 creation
of an "Interministerial Committee on AFRICOM," described to
us as a direct result of the visit. Post will continue to
monitor the evolving Nigerian position on the subject. END
COMMENT.
5. (U) Vice Admiral Moeller's and Ambassador Yates' staff
have cleared this message.
SANDERS