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peace and security. We have Thirdly, Nigeria has champ- Palais, we are encouraged to as a tourist destination is
been active in peacekeeping ioned the effort to get the continue. because one tends to talk
duties. As I said earlier, we foreign debt burden lifted much more about its oil.
have provided materials, from the developing and Q: What is the message However, tourism can bring
personnel and diplomatic least-developed countries you would like to send out us just as much attention
support which have helped (LDCs) in order to ensure to the international com- and money as oil.
in resolving a number of their eventual development munity?
Finally,
Mr.
President
conflicts. potential. Q:
personally The point is that Nigeria is a
Obasanjo Ambassador, you have a
We have also shown an championed this cause in country with lots of econo- busy life in Geneva. When
example of good neigh- meetings of the United mic potentials and abundant you do not work, what do
bourliness to the rest of the Nations and G-8 Summits human resource. It is also a you do?
world. We had a border pro- which he attended. huge market in its own right
blem over the oil-rich for any potential investor. When I do not work I spend
Bakassi Peninsula with Q: Recently you organized The rates of return on time with my family, and
Cameroon. We went to the Nigeria's first painting investments are upward of there are lots of good walks
International Court of exhibition in the Palais des 30 per cent in some cases. in Geneva, but I also try to
Justice (ICJ) and, on 12 Nations. Is this something We have come out of our read and become involved
June 2006, an Agreement you would like to continue past and we are working in social activities. We hard-
was signed between doing? toward our future, towards .ly have a dull moment. I
Cameroon and Nigeria. We political, social and econo- like Berrie and Geneva.
committed ourselves to the Yes indeed. We had thought mic stability and well being. They are very clean, safe
outcome of the ICJ ruling about it for quite some time, We should be given a and quiet cities. Once you
and we implemented it. As but until the young artists chance. We should be have the means to live here,
the President Olusegun came along with their pro- encouraged in partnerships it's very pleasant.
Obasanjo remarked, the ject it had just remained dor- to attract investors, tou- I have enjoyed my tenure
agreement was a great mant. Then it caught on. rism... here, and -- as I said -- the
achievement in conflict pre- Nigeria is a country where African-Nigerian issues are
vention, which practically cultural values are expressed Q: What do you have to becoming quite important.
reflects its cost-effective- through art, there is traditio- offer to tourists? Knowing that, we are the
ness when compared to the nal carvings and sculpture -- messenger saying that
alternative of conflict reso- paintings and music. Our art We have a lot to offer -- Africa should be taken
lution, and it should repre- reflects the colour and the unique and interesting fauna seriously. It would be a hap-
sent a model for the resolu- variety of the country -- we and flora, diversity, good pier world if it were.
tion of similar conflicts in do like colours in our coun- beaches, dense forests, coas-
Africa and in the world at try. Our traditional dresses, tal areas, savannah, desert. If Let's hope so, Mr.
large. If all countries respec- for instance, are quite you like forest attractions, Ambassador. At least we
ted their boundaries and colourful. Incidentally, I you can find it in Nigeria. I are convinced that we
international agreements, organized the first Nigeria would recommend that you ought to take a trip to
then there would be more film show in Geneva go to Obudu in the south of Africa to see for ourselves
peace in the world. through our effort at WIPO Nigeria -- but that's only one that Africa is changing.
in collaboration with the of the many
Secondly, Nigeria has been BBC. destinations.
at the forefront of the inter- Variety is
national efforts at decoloni- Q: Are you trying to pro- what we offer
zation and the fight against mote Nigerian culture? to the tourists
racism and racial discrimi- including
nation including the Yes, that is the general eco-tourism,
struggle against the erstwhi- objective. Last year we par- culture
le Apartheid regime in ticipated in the United tourism and
South Africa and Namibia. Nations Bazaar and our leisure tou-
Nigeria expended enor- ladies displayed Nigerian rism.
mous amounts to ensure the dresses and cuisine. We are
liberation of the African also trying to bring some The reason
continent from foreign traditional musicians and you do not
colonial domination. dancers. Now that we have hear so much
organized one event at the about Nigeria

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