[Nigeria] At Clinton Global Initiative, President Obasanjo Speaks Against Poverty, Disease

from All Africa

Abuja

President Olusegun Obasanjo has made a case for globalisation with a human face.

Speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative in New York as part of his itinerary in the United States, President Obasanjo said globalisation must respect cultures and values of peoples of different backgrounds.

He also identified good governance as "a critical ingredient for eliminating poverty, instability, violence and under-development".

"With good governance you can be assured of accountability, respect for the rule of law, human rights, transparency, sensitivity to the plight of the disadvantaged and the deepening and consolidation of democracy," he said.

On good governance, the President said "it is not too late to reorder our priorities, rediscover our values, refocus our priorities and reorganise our communities, above the limitations of class, gender, race, ethnicity and other primordial sentiments."

He also acknowledged that although Africa is still grappling with many problems, its leaders are now more focused to tackle them under a newly refocused and reformed African Union.

President Obasanjo pledged his support for the Clinton Initiative, which he said is implementing six programmes, including solar power, fight against HIV/AIDS and rural water supplies, in Nigeria.

Former US President Bill Clinton also commended the "untiring efforts" of President Obasanjo in transforming Nigeria and ensuring peace and security throughout Africa.

Citing the President's effort in reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria by "doing all that is needed to break the taboo and stigma associated with the virus", he recalled the exemplary role President Obasanjo played during his visit to Nigeria in his final days as President of the U.S., when he became the first African leader to publicly hug an HIV/AIDS infected person.