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years ago, and decades of use have taken essence is based on the fundamentals of hu- their toll. It is high time we get our children manity. Also deriving from this is the issue out of trailers and into 21st century class- of Nigeria’s role of peacemaking and peace- rooms. keeping in our sub-region, our region of Afri- At the start of this new school year, parents ca, and under the auspices of the U.N., the and teachers everywhere are telling students whole world. Needless to say that this goes to do their best. In turn, their families have for the United States, by virtue of her status a right to expect that we, here, will do ours. as the number one world power today. So let’s not make them wait another year for President Clinton has only just begun his the resources they need. visit, designed so far that it will be a memo- With more teachers, smaller classes, mod- rable one, and we wish you a very pleasant ern schools, and faith in their future, our chil- day in Nigeria. We welcome you once again. dren will do more than reach for their President Clinton. President Obasanjo, dreams; they’ll achieve them. members of the Nigerian Government, Thanks for listening. members of the press, I think I can say on NOTE: The address was recorded at 12:59 p.m. behalf of the Members of the United States on August 25 in the Cabinet Room at the White Congress who are here and the members of House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August 26. the American delegation, we are delighted The transcript was made available by the Office to be in Nigeria. of the Press Secretary on August 25 but was em- Two years ago I came to Africa to begin bargoed for release until the broadcast. building a new partnership between this con- tinent and the United States, one in which Remarks Following Discussions With Americans look upon Africa not simply as a President Olusegun Obasanjo of continent with problems but also as a con- Nigeria and an Exchange With tinent which presents the world’s next great opportunity to advance the cause of peace, Reporters in Abuja, Nigeria justice, and prosperity. August 26, 2000 When I came here 2 years ago, one of the President Obasanjo. Mr. President, dis- biggest obstacles to a new relationship with tinguished ladies and gentlemen, members the entire continent was the fact that the of the press, let me say how pleased I am democratic hopes of Nigeria’s people were for this opportunity to welcome President being smothered by military misrule and cor- Bill Clinton to Nigeria. I am confident that ruption, with your finest leaders being killed, by now President Clinton must have felt banished, or in the case of President from the personal meeting to the enthusiastic Obasanjo, forced to languish in prison. crowds that greeted him the extent of our My greatest hope then was that some day delight to have him among us. I could come to Africa again, to visit a Nigeria President Clinton and I have had very worthy of its people’s dreams. Thanks to friendly and fruitful discussions covering all President Obasanjo and the people of Nige- the items and subjects that make up the con- ria, I have the high honor today to visit the tent of our joint declaration which we have new Nigeria and to pledge America’s support just signed and exchanged, and even more. for the most important democratic transition I just want to emphasize that for all the in Africa since the fall of apartheid. shared strategic interests between Nigeria All of us in the American delegation know and the United States of America, President that after so many years of despair and plun- Clinton and myself share a common view that der, your journey has not been easy. But we is based on human welfare, human develop- are also committed to working with the peo- ment, and human well-being in both our ple of Nigeria to help build stronger institu- countries, our continents, and throughout the tions, improve education, fight disease, world. crime, and corruption, ease the burden of Of course, whatever strategic interests, debt, and promote trade and investment in economic, political, or of a social nature, the a way that brings more of the benefits of

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prosperity to people who have embraced de- Middle East Peace Process mocracy. Q. Mr. President, you’re going to meet We are rebuilding ties severed during the with President Mubarak of Egypt. Can you years of dictatorship. I am very happy that give us an idea of what you’re going to discuss last week the first direct flight since 1993 left with him and whether this portends another Muritala Mohammed Airport for the United Mideast peace summit? States. Today we have signed our first open And President Obasanjo, I’d also like to skies agreement. have your perspective on these efforts to With patience and perseverance, Nigeria reach peace in the Middle East. can answer the challenge your President President Clinton. Well, let me say, first issued in his inauguration 2 years ago—a of all, I think it’s inconceivable that we could speech I got up very early in the morning have a peace between the Israelis and the in the United States to watch. I remember Palestinians without the support of President that he said, ‘‘Let us rise as one to face the Mubarak. tasks ahead and turn this daunting scene into As you know, when I leave here, I’m going a new dawn.’’ to Tanzania to support President Mandela With one-fifth of Africa’s people, and vast and the peace process that he has been work- human and natural resources, a revitalized ing on in Burundi, and then we have to make Nigeria can be the economic and political an- a refueling stop on our way home. I had chor of West Africa and the leader of the hoped to see President Mubarak at the continent. We need your continued leader- United Nations summit, which will be at the ship in the struggle for peace. I am pleased end of the first week of September, but he we have begun this week to help to train and can’t come to that. And so we were having equip the first of five Nigerian battalions pre- one of our regular telephone conversations paring for service in Sierra Leone. We also the other day and decided that since he need your continued leadership in the strug- would not be in New York, that I ought to gle against poverty and infectious disease, es- refuel in Cairo and we ought to reconnoiter pecially AIDS. I thank President Obasanjo on the peace process. for his offer to host an AIDS summit in Nige- I don’t think you should read too much ria next year. into it, other than that we are working with Finally, we need Nigeria to keep leading a sense of urgency, given the timetable the by example as a successful democracy and parties have set for themselves. And we don’t a nation that has managed, despite many underestimate the continuing difficulties, but years of repression and strife, to prove that I’m pleased they’re still working, and working for democracies, our diversity can be our under enormous pressures. greatest strength. President Obasanjo. I must take this op- These are just some of the issues we dis- portunity to commend the efforts of Presi- cussed today. Later, I will have the honor dent Clinton in the Middle East. I believe of speaking to the Nigerian Parliament, and that the fact that the door is not completely I will speak in greater detail about the chal- closed and the fact that areas where, in fact, lenges ahead and the promise of our growing a few years back one would infer that there partnership. But let me just say, I begin this would be no advancement at all, whether Je- visit with enormous admiration for the rusalem could be negotiated on, is now an progress you have made and the highest hope issue that can be put on the table to be nego- for the progress you will make in the future tiated—I believe that should give all of us and the depth that our partnership will as- some hope. sume. And as President Clinton just said, all the Thank you again, Mr. President, for mak- people that should be involved must be en- ing us all feel so welcome. gaged, to be involved. And we should never President Obasanjo. We will now take be tired until we achieve success. And I be- questions from the members of the media. lieve success will be achieved. I have no I think we should go to our guests first. doubt.

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Third World Debt Relief My own view is that the G–8 would be Q. President Clinton’s attitude to Africa willing to go beyond those 24 countries as and the poorer nations of the world is very long as it was clear that there was a commit- well-known. He is sympathetic to those na- ment to economic reform and a commitment tions. But America does not make up the to democracy and a commitment to use all West, only America does not. Now, at a— the savings for human development pur- [inaudible]—in Ghana in April, a position poses, not for military purposes or other pur- was adopted on the issue of the strangulating poses that were inconsistent with the long- debt burden in the poorer countries of the term interest of the countries. world. Now, President Obasanjo, as the But I think that the real issue is not wheth- chairman of the—[inaudible]—was given the er they can afford the debt relief—in most mandate to present that position to the G– of these countries, they actually have to 8 at the July Okinawa summit. Both Presi- budget the debt relief even if they’re not going to get repaid. And to be fair, the dent Obasanjo—[inaudible]—on that issue United States does not have the same dollar came out at that meeting expressing dis- stake in most of these nations in the multilat- appointment at the lack of concrete commit- eral forum as some other countries do. So ment on the issues by the richest nations of it is a little more difficult for them than it the world. is for us. Is there any indication that the contact And I think that you are seeing the begin- today with a key member of the G–8 would ning of a process that I believe will continue, open up new vistas on the issues of debt can- since I believe that we’ll have more countries cellation for the poor countries of the world? doing what Nigeria is doing: embracing de- And America is perhaps the strongest sup- mocracy, having a program with the IMF, porter of democracy around the world, and a commitment to economic reform that will we know that democracy turns on the face commend itself to the creditor countries of of the huge debt burden. What is the way the world for debt relief. And I think that out? you’ll—it will happen. President Clinton. Well, let me say, first But, you’re right, we have been in the fore- of all, what I believe the G–8 was saying. front of pushing this. But to be fair to the You may know that I, because of other com- other countries the relative size of the Amer- mitments and because of the Middle East ican economy make our—makes it easier for peace process, unfortunately, had to miss the us to do than for some of these other coun- first day of the G–8 summit and, therefore, tries. And the real problem is not the money I missed the President’s presentation. itself, because many of them don’t expect to At Cologne, Germany, we got the G–8 to be repaid. The real problem is that they all make a commitment to a debt relief program have budget rules like we do that require for the poorest countries in the world, and them to budget that in their annual budg- we had some problems implementing it, but ets—the forgiveness of debt—just as they the basic idea, I think, was sound, which was budget for education or health care or de- that we should give debt forgiveness in re- fense or anything else, even thought it’s, ar- turn for a commitment to spend the freed- guably, an unnecessary thing since they don’t up resources on human development and to expect to get the money back from the poor- have a responsible economic reform pro- est countries. gram. That was basically the agreement. But you need to understand that’s the po- I strongly support that, and I would favor litical problem that a lot of these leaders expanding the number of eligible nations have. And since the European countries and once we’ve actually taken them in some Japan have a bigger percentage of their in- proper order. Our Congress has before it come tied up in debt than we do, it’s a little now legislation that would pay America’s more difficult for them to do. I think we have share of the debt relief for the countries that moved them in the right direction, and I have qualified under the program that the think Nigeria, in particular, and other coun- G–8 adopted. tries following behind will find a much more

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ready response. I think that what happened could to encourage others to increase pro- in Cologne, the call of His Holiness the Pope duction enough to have the impact that and others for debt relief in the millennial OPEC voted to have at the last meeting. year, will lead to a process that I expect to At the last meeting, they voted for produc- play out over the next few years that I believe tion levels that they felt would bring the price will result in significantly greater debt relief back closer to its historic average, somewhere than we have seen, as long as it’s coupled in the mid-20’s. And that has not worked out to maintenance of democracy, economic re- for a number of reasons, and so I asked him form, and honest economies and using the to do what he could in that regard. savings from debt relief for the real human President Obasanjo. I have always main- benefits and needs of the people in the af- tained that an excessive high price of oil is fected countries. neither good for the oil producers nor for the oil consumers, particularly developing oil Nigerian Debt Relief/Oil Prices consumers. Neither is excessive low price of Q. Mr. President, would you urge Presi- oil, neither is it good for the oil producers dent Obasanjo to reduce—to work within nor the oil consumers because you need cer- OPEC to reduce oil prices? And did you tain amount of stability. I believe that that offer him any commitment on rescheduling stability would be there when OPEC brought or writing-off of debt for Nigeria? in the mechanism to trigger off oil if the oil And President Obasanjo, I was wondering price is above certain price level, to automati- if you can give your own views on—[inaudi- cally go in and produce more, and if it’s ble]—situation. below certain levels to automatically go in President Clinton. Let me answer the and withdraw from the production. debt question first, since it sort of follows Well, as President Clinton said, what has upon the previous question. I reaffirmed the taken place so far has not worked. The OPEC commitment that I had previously made to will have a summit meeting in Venezuela the President that, first of all, the United next month, and the price of oil will be one States would do all we said to get the entire of the major issues to be discussed. And I Paris Club to do what the G–8 has now will, by the grace of God, be at that meeting. agreed to do and have a generous debt re- And we will work to bring an element of sta- scheduling, which will alleviate a lot of the bility into the price of oil. It is in the interest cash flow requirements, at least, for Nigeria of all concerned that that should happen. in the short run; and that now that there was an IMF program in place, once there was U.S. Issuance of Visas to Nigerians/United enough experience with this IMF program Nations Security Council that we could argue to the other creditor na- Q. My question is to President Clinton, tions that have a larger—as I said to the pre- and it concerns the U.S. visa policy of Nige- vious questioner, the gentleman before, that ria. The policy so far has—[inaudible]— these other nations that have a bigger share going to do to affect some concrete change of the debt than we do—that Nigeria has in this direction. And the second question shown a commitment to economic reform, is will the United States support a Security as well as a commitment to democracy, that Council seat for permanent participation in I would support debt relief for them, that the United Nations? I thought they ought to have some debt relief President Clinton. Well, let me answer in return for showing that they’ve got a com- the first question first. I’m very concerned mitment to a long-term political and eco- about some of the problems we’ve had in get- nomic reform. That’s the position I’ve had ting visas to Nigerians who have legitimate for some time now. interests in coming the United States and On the oil prices, we talked about that, should have a perfect right to do so. and Nigeria, of course, does not have the ca- If I might say something in defense of the pacity to change the prices, because they’re people who have to issue the visas. Because pretty well producing at full capacity already. of the worldwide concern—that has nothing So I asked the President to do whatever he to do with Nigeria—about terrorism and

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other problems, they have been given in- they should, who should hold it, and whether structions to bend over backwards to make someone should hold it permanently or not. sure that all the documents that anybody But I strongly believe that Africa should from any country applying for a visa are in have a permanent representative with a per- perfect order. Because of a lot of develop- manent representative’s vote on the United ments here over the last several years, that’s Nations Security Council. If it makes sense not always possible. So what we’ve got to do for it to be Nigeria, then that’s fine with me. is go back and take a hard look at this situa- But I think the African people should decide tion as it affects Nigeria, because we ac- that—the leaders of Africa. knowledge that there are many Nigerians President Obasanjo. Thank you very who have tried to come to the United States, much. who should have been able to come and, President Clinton. Thank you. therefore, should have been able to get visas, who haven’t been. And we have to try to find NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 2 a way to solve that consistent with our law. p.m. at the Presidential Villa. In his remarks, he And I wish I had an answer for you today, referred to President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt; but frankly, I was not aware of the dimen- former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa; sions of the problem until I was preparing and Pope John Paul II. to come here and preparing for my visit. And so I don’t have a solution today. But I can— I make you a commitment that we will work Remarks to a Joint Session of the on it, and we will try to work this out, because Nigerian National Assembly in Abuja I’m quite concerned about it. When I saw August 26, 2000 the numbers and I saw the small percentage of those who had applied who had been ap- Thank you very much. Mr. President of proved, and it was obvious that many, many the Senate, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Deputy Presi- more had legitimate interests, perfectly le- dent and Deputy Speaker, members of the gitimate interests in coming to the United Assembly, it is a great honor for me to be States, I realized we had to do something. here with members of my Cabinet and Gov- And we’re going to work with your govern- ernment, Members of the United States ment and try to work it out. Congress, mayors of some of our greatest cit- President Obasanjo. Thank you very ies, and my daughter. And we’re glad to be much. President Clinton—[inaudible]. here. President Clinton. Oh, I’m sorry. Jet lag. I must say, this is the first time I have [Laughter] The position of the United States been introduced as President in 8 years, is that the size of the Security Council should speaking to parliamentary bodies all over the be expanded, that there should be a perma- world, where they played a song before I nent African seat, and that the holder of that spoke. [Laughter] I liked it a lot. [Laughter] seat should be determined by the African na- It got us all in a good frame of mind. tions, not by the United States and not by Twenty-two years ago, President Jimmy the permanent members of the Security Carter became the first President ever to visit Council. I don’t think that’s our business. I sub-Saharan Africa when he arrived in Nige- feel the same way about Latin America. I ria saying he had come from a great nation think there should be a permanent Latin to visit a great nation. More than 2 years ago, American seat on the Security Council. I came to Africa for the longest visit ever The analog to Nigeria and Latin America, by an American President, to build a new of course, is Brazil. Brazil is the most popu- partnership with your continent. But sadly, lous nation in Latin America, just as Nigeria in Nigeria, an illegitimate government was is the most populous nation in Africa, and killing its people and squandering your re- we have very good relations with Brazil. But sources. All most Americans knew about Ni- I think the Latin Americans should decide geria then was a sign at their local airport for themselves if they get the seat, and I think warning them not to fly here.

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