AU SUMMIT: NIGERIA FM SAYS CONSTITUTION SACRED, WILL SIGN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000189 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR AF/FO AND AF/W NSC FOR MGAVIN LONDON FOR PLORD PARIS FOR WBAIN SECDEF FOR DASD VICKI HUDDLESTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM SENV XA SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT: NIGERIA FM SAYS CONSTITUTION SACRED, WILL SIGN ONTO COPENHAGEN THIS MESSAGE IS FROM USAU AMBASSADOR MICHAEL A. BATTLE. ¶1. (U) January 31, 2010, 3:00 p.m.; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ¶2. (U) Participants: United States Under Secretary Maria Otero Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson NSC Senior Director Michelle Gavin Ambassador Michael Battle AF Special Assistant Akunna Cook AU Desk Officer Ryan Bowles (notetaker) Nigeria Foreign Minister Chief Ojo Maduekwe Ambassador to the AU Nkoyo Toyi Samson Itefboje (notetaker) ¶3. (SBU) Summary: Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe told the U.S. delegation that Nigeria would soon sign onto the Copenhagen climate change accord. With regard to possible presidential succession, he said that Nigeria intended to follow its constitution, and thanked the U.S. for the "timely" joint statement issued with the UK, France, and the EU on January 28. He said he looked forward to A/S Carson's imminent visit to Nigeria, and invited U/S Otero and NSC Michelle Gavin to visit soon. End summary. ¶4. (U) The U.S. delegation met with Nigerian Foreign Minister Chief Ojo Maduekwe on January 31 on the margins of the AU Summit in Addis Ababa. U/S Otero raised the Copenhagen climate change accord. A/S Carson raised Haiti, upcoming elections, the January 28 joint U.S.-EU-UK-France statement, and his trip later this week to Lagos and Abuja. -------------- Joint Statement on Nigeria -------------- ¶5. (SBU) FM Maduekwe told the delegation that the joint statement on President Yar'adua's health and the need to follow constitutional principles, which was issued by the U.S., UK, France, and the EU on January 28, was welcomed in Nigeria and issued at exactly the right time. A/S Carson said he hoped Nigerians understood that we intended to communicate an expression of interest from the four parties, and an expression of Nigeria's importance both in West Africa and as a large, successful democracy. He said that Secretary Clinton and her counterparts felt strongly that Nigeria must remain strong, democratic, and stable. FM Maduekwe said that everyone he spoke with took the statement in exactly that spirit. ¶6. (SBU) FM Maduekwe said the statement was very helpful, and said that he was sure President Yar'adua was looking at all options. He thought that Nigeria would be stronger and more resilient as a democracy after these events pass, and insisted that "everyone" was calling for the constitution to be followed. He thought that news reports overly dramatized the situation in Nigeria, and said the country was stable. -------------- Copenhagen Climate Change Accord -------------- ¶7. (SBU) U/S Otero told FM Maduekwe that while the U.S. had hoped for a more robust agreement, we were pleased with the result and thought that it was good for Africa in particular. She urged Nigeria to associate itself with the Copenhagen climate change accord as soon as possible. FM Maduekwe said that Nigeria would soon sign onto the accord. He praised President Obama's leadership in Copenhagen and said that his contributions were a "game changer." He added that Nigeria is committed to ending natural gas flaring by an unspecified date, and was now working backwards to figure out how to accomplish this goal. He said that the Government of Nigeria would contribute money to the gas flaring project, but also counted on international oil companies to do their share. He asked for U.S. technology and infrastructure assistance in support of Nigeria's effort. -------------- Support for Free and Fair Elections ADDIS ABAB 00000189 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶8. (SBU) FM Maduekwe said he hoped A/S Carson would meet Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Maurice Iwu when he visited Nigeria later this week. He said Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was "passionate" about the elections, and that Jonathan was set against changing the date of elections when President Yar'adua left for Saudi Arabia. FM Maduekwe said he was encouraging INEC to be more open to international partners, by telling them that if they are doing a great job, with nothing to hide, that they should work with the U.S. and others. ¶9. (SBU) A/S Carson responded by saying that the U.S. wanted to see a reformed INEC that had the technical skills to ensure a clean election with results in which Nigerians could have faith. A/S Carson offered U.S. technical assistance toward this goal. -------------- Haiti, Upcoming Visits, and Human Trafficking -------------- ¶10. (U) A/S Carson praised Nigeria for its $5 million contribution for Haiti relief, and said Secretary Clinton appreciated the donation. U/S Otero told FM Maduekwe that we appreciated this, and he should be proud of Nigeria's efforts to combat trafficking in persons. ¶11. (U) FM Maduekwe responded by saying that Nigeria hoped to be a long-term participant in Haiti's reconstruction, and wanted to send Nigerian teams to help as soon as Haiti was able to receive more international personnel. He said that trafficking issues were difficult, but important, and that the AU was paying increasing attention to trafficking issues of all kinds in West Africa - not just human trafficking. ¶12. (U) In closing, FM Maduekwe said he looked forward to A/S Carson's upcoming visit to Lagos and Abuja. He invited U/S Otero and NSC Senior Director Michelle Gavin to visit as soon as they could. ¶13. (U) U/S Otero, A/S Carson, and NSC Senior Director Gavin have cleared this message. YATES