US embassy cable - 03ABUJA946

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000946 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR E, EB, AF/W AND AF/EPS 
 
 
CAIRO FOR MAXSTADT 
 
 
E.O.12958: DECL: 22 MAY 2008 
TAGS: PREL, EFIN, EAID, NI, XA 
SUBJECT:  Abuja NePAD Summit and Evian G-8: Africans 
Uneasy About Larger Circle 
 
 
Ref: 02 Abuja 1913 
 
 
Classified by DCM Andrews.  Reason: 1.5(d) 
 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Nigeria's NePAD guru says Africans 
uneasy about expanding G-8 dialogue to other 
developing countries and limiting discussion to growth 
and international cooperation. The Africans also want 
the G-8 to break market-access "gridlock" in Geneva. 
Abuja NePAD Summit set for afternoon of May 28.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
2.  (U) DCM May 22 attended a briefing for G-8 COMs at 
the French Ambassador's residence.  Ambassador Isaac 
Aluko-Olokun from the Ministry of Cooperation and 
Integration in Africa was the briefer.  French DCM 
hosted.  All G-8 country missions and the EC were 
represented at the one-hour session. 
 
 
3.  (C) While formally welcoming more developing 
countries to the dialogue with the G-8 and profusely 
thanking the G-8 for its "generosity in bringing 
Africa to global attention," Aluko-Olokun suggested 
many African states were growing uneasy about the 
larger group expected at Evian.  Africa would preserve 
its special status, Aluko-Olokun agreed, but, like a 
senior wife who sees a younger co-spouse entering the 
household, there were fears of marginalization.  Bring 
in other donors and recipients, he argued, just do not 
let Africa be "pushed back" on the agenda; the 
experts-to-experts relationship needs to be nourished 
and sustained. 
 
 
4.  (C) "The present global situation is not conducive 
to Africa's interests," Aluko-Olokun opined.  Too much 
attention was being devoted to Afghanistan, Iraq and 
the Middle East.  "Our leaders want to be center 
stage."  He offered, however, that NePAD "concretely 
had not delivered much" in terms of progress toward 
poverty alleviation, development of democracy and 
economic growth.  He did not defend NePAD's 
performance but contended that, since sub-Saharan 
Africa seems less likely than any other region to 
reach Millenium Development Goals, the region needed 
special assistance.  NePAD, in turn, was urging all 
African countries to submit occasional reports on 
progress toward MDG benchmarks. 
 
 
5.   (C) Aluko-Olokun said Africa had questions about 
the G-8 plan to limit discussion at Evian to growth 
and international cooperation.  There needed also to 
be an exchange on peace and security; one on terrorism 
would also be useful. 
 
 
6.  (C) Aluko-Olokun said African states were still 
waiting for individual G-8 countries to provide 
detailed information on which of the 110 points of the 
Kananaskis Action Plan fit best with respective 
capabilities and national interests. 
 
 
7.  (C) Everyone is trying to get ready for Cancun, 
Aluko-Olokun observed, but talks in Geneva appeared 
deadlocked.  The NePAD countries wanted the G-8 to 
"break the gridlock" and address issues of market 
access. 
 
 
8.  (C) "The debt issue remains very sticky," Aluko- 
Olokun commented.  There is not enough G-8 money to 
fund debt relief for all HIPC-compliant countries. 
Moreover, middle-income developing countries (such as 
Nigeria) "cannot service their debts fiscally," Aluko- 
Olokun averred.  "We want France to broach that topic 
with the G-8 at Evian," he added. 
 
 
9.  (C) Aluko-Olokun felt there needed to be ODA 
reform.  The claims that there was "a lot of money" to 
be had might be true in theory, but the "delivery 
system [was] too difficult.  The European Development 
Fund was particularly hard to access, he added, noting 
that it would be good for Nigeria if more ODA went to 
Niger, Chad and Benin; progress in those countries 
would ease strains on Nigeria, he said. 
10.  (C) During the discussion period, the EU HOM 
offered that the EU was "open to budgetary support" 
for Nigeria.  DCM asked him a day later exactly what 
he meant, noting that the USG was a ways from such a 
step.  HOM responded that nothing was in the offing 
and that the EU was trying to encourage Nigeria along 
the road to reform. 
11.  (SBU) The NePAD Summit will take place on the 
margins of Nigeria's Presidential inaugural events. 
It is slated for May 29, 2003, from 1400 to 1800, in 
Abuja. 
JETER