As Yar’Adua Joins G8 Leaders…

The leaders of the world Industrial Nations otherwise known as the G8 are in the city of L’Aguila, Italy for their annual meeting which commenced yesterday.

This year’s meeting is billed to address rules and principles that would checkmate the international economic crisis, as well as proffering solutions to the global crisis.

Also to be considered are developmental issues in Africa such as security, environmental problem, energy crisis, food security and infrastructural development.

This is the first time Nigerian President, Alhaji Musa Yar Adua will attend the G8 meeting since his assumption of office on May 29, 2007. The attendance of the G8 meeting by the Nigerian President is a significant recognition of Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa, especially with regards to the foreign policy direction of Yar’Adua’s government over the past two years.

In the last two-years, the G8 leadership has failed to invite Nigerian President. They only extended invitations to nations with stable economies like China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt.

While Egypt was invited to represent the Arab Moslem World and Africa, South Africa’s invitation was based on its status as an emerging industrialised nation in Africa.

Before now, Nigeria was rated among the newly industrial nations like India and Brazil. It is however sad that Nigeria’s rating today ha,sconsiderably declined such that while India and Brazil are considered to be more stable in economy, Nigeria still depends on India’s Pharmaceutical companies for drugs importation.

President Yar’Adua’s invitation will afford him the necessary opportunity to highlight the achievements of his administration to the leaders of the World industrial nations especially in the area of electoral reform, as well as restoration of peace in the Niger Delta. Nigeria’s commitment to human development as it pertains to capacity building, gender equality, poverty alleviation and good governance is also expected to form parts of the evaluation reports before the distinguished leaders of the G8.

It will also afford the president the opportunity to outline his government’s concept of “Vision 2020” as a necessary step towards becoming one of the world’s 20th largest economies.

It is pertinent to note that Nigeria, alongside some other African countries like South Africa, Egypt, Senegal and Algeria were invited to the G8 in 2001 for the first time to present the concept of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) This occasion afforded former President Olusegun Obasanjo to secure debt cancellation for Nigeria.

The occasion also afforded the African leaders the opportunity to explain and reaffirm the importance of the New Partnership for African Development towards promoting development.

This year’s meeting of the G8 in Italy is therefore a golden opportunity for Nigerian President, Yar’Adua to secure the support and understanding of the G8 leaders towards the seven-point agenda of his administration, especially in the area of poverty eradication employment generation, health care delivery and the Niger Delta problem.