Page 27 - DIVA_1_2007_No.28

agree that there is a lack of
appreciation of Africa's cur-
rent situation on the ground,
but I hope it will change.
Africa remains the focus.
Africa is the continent of the
future with huge resources
and a big potential market.
Global trends, which result
in one part of the world not
getting as much as it should,
create instability. We now
worry if our governments
are not getting it right. It is
no longer a world where the
underdeveloped countries
can afford to ignore what is
happening elsewhere. Africa
is going through a period of
self-assessment with a view
to leading the process in
changing its fortunes. The
There are other areas too, We also have the largest Q: I have the feeling that NEPAD process is already
such as refugees, migration, quantity of human resources in Europe we do not know yielding results.
health issues, intellectual in Africa. That's one of the what is happening in
property, trade and develop- reasons why we take the Africa. Why do you think Q: They say that the
century
ment related processes issues of human rights and that is? twenty-first
within the WTO and UNC- migration so seriously. belongs to Africa.
TAD, the Global Fund, etc. Well, I would not say that
These issues require a lot of One of the interesting things Europe does not know what Well, let's hope so! It is nice
attention. about Nigeria is that, for a is going on in Africa be- to think that this is the focus
long time, it was under a cause there has been a long that has been lacking. The
Q: Apart from the military regime. Over the connection with Africa G8 last year shifted some
President who comes to past eight years it has dating back to the fifteenth attention to focus on Africa,
Geneva from time to time returned to a democratically century. One could rather but we want to see more tan-
and the oil, we do not hear elected government. We are say: "Does Europe take gible results.
much about Nigeria in the making that transition enough interest in what is
media. actively and we are fully going on in Africa?" Today, Q: What do you want to
committed to it. The govern- Africa is changing. It no lon- see?
It is good news when you ment has taken steps to deal ger wants to be the Dark
are not in the news! Usually, with the issues of corrup- Continent that just provides More capacity in produc-
when you are in the news tion, governance, infrastruc- rawmaterials. It has needs, tion, in productivity, in edu-
too much, its bad news. ture, poverty alleviation and the needs of a huge popula- cation, in health, in gover-
Nigeria is the most popula- human development. We are tion that wants to plug into nance. We all know that
ted country in Africa and has going to have elections in the twenty-first century with democracy is the best way,
a lot of potential. Nigeria is 2007 and we are working its global infrastructure. but democracy has to be
the twelfth largest producer towards a smooth transition. Everybody wants to be supported by equitable
of petroleum in the world Democratic transition is per- governed well; everybody trade, increased investments
and the eighth largest expor- haps even more important wants to enjoy security, and access to capital, enhan-
ter. It also has one of the than democracy itself, as development and human ced transfer of technology,
world's largest proven natu- how you change govern- rights. So that's the chal- the eradication of the debt
ral gas and petroleum reser- ment is a pointer to stability. lenge that Africa is facing. burden, access to foreign
ves. This is especially important We hope that Europe and all particularly European and
in the developing world our other partners will start other Western markets, and
We also have lots of mineral where there have been deca- to look at the needs of the so forth. Today China and
resources, such as coal, tin, des of unusual regime chan- New Africa in a more struc- India are the focus of atten-
iron ore, limestone, nio- ges. Everything is going tured, pragmatic and positi- tion of the rest of the world
bium, lead, zinc, gold -- as well. Between now and ve way. because of their huge turn
well as arable land. April, the politicians will be around in economic perfor-
quite busy. Nevertheless, perhaps I do mance. But given the
1 2007 Diva 25

w.divainternational.ch