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Nigeria Has Opportunity to Become Economic Powerhouse – U.S
- By Williams Ekanem
- Published June 6th, 2011
- Washington File
- Unrated
Leader of the U.S. Presidential delegation to the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Ambassador Johnny Carson says Nigeria has the opportunity to become an economic powerhouse on the continent.
Carson, who is the most senior Obama administration official on Africa while commenting on the import of the large turnout of heads of states and Presidents at the May 29 inauguration said that this is “ an opportunity for Nigeria to be another Brazil, to be another Chile, to be an economic powerhouse on the continent.”
According to Carson, “we think that Nigeria has enormous, enormous economic potential. It can be one of the African countries that can make tremendous economic strides over the next decade under good governance, good leadership, good democratic leadership.”
Commenting on the inauguration ceremony, the Assistant Secretary of State said that, “ I had an opportunity this past weekend to lead the presidential delegation from the United States to the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan. I think that the inauguration was the culmination of another step in Nigeria’s continued efforts to strengthen its democracy.”
The elections, he said “ were widely viewed as free and fair and creditable and reflecting the will of the people of Nigeria. But most importantly, they were a significant and substantial improvement over the elections of 2007, 2003, and 1999.”
On the position of Nigeria on the continent, Carson stated that the United States views the country as one of the two most important states in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, “it is the country that supplies the largest amount of crude oil of any country on the continent. The U.S. receives some nine percent of this crude oil from Nigeria, and the bulk of our low-sulfur sweet crude oil comes from that country. It is, after South Africa, the second largest source of U.S. direct investment, mostly in the oil and petroleum field as well as in oil services.”
On the economic fron the assistant secretary of state emphasized that it is important that a country like Nigeria, 160 million strong, be able to produce and manufacture more, to be able to grow and process more food products, that it, in fact, be able to realize that enormous economic potential that it has.
“So we believe that the way to open up economic opportunity is through good governance, rule of law, but we also believe that we can contribute to this process through our efforts under Agoa as well,” he added.
Carson, who is the most senior Obama administration official on Africa while commenting on the import of the large turnout of heads of states and Presidents at the May 29 inauguration said that this is “ an opportunity for Nigeria to be another Brazil, to be another Chile, to be an economic powerhouse on the continent.”
According to Carson, “we think that Nigeria has enormous, enormous economic potential. It can be one of the African countries that can make tremendous economic strides over the next decade under good governance, good leadership, good democratic leadership.”
Commenting on the inauguration ceremony, the Assistant Secretary of State said that, “ I had an opportunity this past weekend to lead the presidential delegation from the United States to the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan. I think that the inauguration was the culmination of another step in Nigeria’s continued efforts to strengthen its democracy.”
The elections, he said “ were widely viewed as free and fair and creditable and reflecting the will of the people of Nigeria. But most importantly, they were a significant and substantial improvement over the elections of 2007, 2003, and 1999.”
On the position of Nigeria on the continent, Carson stated that the United States views the country as one of the two most important states in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, “it is the country that supplies the largest amount of crude oil of any country on the continent. The U.S. receives some nine percent of this crude oil from Nigeria, and the bulk of our low-sulfur sweet crude oil comes from that country. It is, after South Africa, the second largest source of U.S. direct investment, mostly in the oil and petroleum field as well as in oil services.”
On the economic fron the assistant secretary of state emphasized that it is important that a country like Nigeria, 160 million strong, be able to produce and manufacture more, to be able to grow and process more food products, that it, in fact, be able to realize that enormous economic potential that it has.
“So we believe that the way to open up economic opportunity is through good governance, rule of law, but we also believe that we can contribute to this process through our efforts under Agoa as well,” he added.
