Nigeria
Gaucks Nigeria-travel: economic opportunities and moving moments
For four days, was Federal President Joachim Gauck in Nigeria on the go. He met people before Boko Haram flee – and the richest man in Africa. Adrian Kriesch and Jan-Philipp Scholz have accompanied him.
Warm welcome for the President to be in a refugee camp
More than 50 Nigerians, in the small tin hut in a refugee camp, New Kuchigoro have gathered can your eyes not to be trusted. An older, grey-haired man in a grey suit enters the hut and sits down on a chair. “Which is the German President”, whisper of the present, as if they mutually confirm would require that the scene really takes place.
Nearly 1000 people are in front of the outfield
Boko Haram in the camp in the Nigerian capital fled. Usually use the small tin hut as a Church. Sometimes it is also used as a meeting room, as today. But never sat in such a high-ranking politician in her hut. Nigerian politicians, tell the stories of refugees, were barely look. And if they do, then they heard them not.
“So a visit is always ambivalent”
The man who came today is to listen to. More than an hour, Federal President Joachim Gauck time for the visit and is visibly moved. “We are working on a pregnant woman came passing by, a small child in her arms. I may not imagine how and where you here release,” says the President. The spokesman for the refugees, it will be difficult, the right words for the compassion of the President. “I am shocked by your visit,” he expressed somewhat awkwardly. “You do not come from the affected Region, you are not a Nigerian, not even African, and yet, you are interested in our fate. This makes us very happy.”
At the end of the visit, both sides a little helpless. “It is clear to me that such a visit is always ambivalent,” Gauck self-critical about his trip to Nigeria. “If you’re so well dressed and well fed comes here has, one would like to sometimes not be there.”
Federal President Gauck promises to the refugees, their fate during the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to address. Finally, he invites even spontaneously, the spokesman for the refugees to Germany. In front of the microphones of the traveling press, he calls the Germans, more money for the Nigerian Terror victims to donate.
The President at a performance at the Freedom Park in the capital city of Lagos
From the refugee camp to Meet with the billionaire
In contrast to many other African countries, gets Nigeria is relatively little humanitarian assistance from the international community. Because Nigeria is not only the most populous country in Africa, it also has the largest gross national product of the continent. This is also part of the reality of the country: On the same day that he is with the refugees, speaks, hits the President of Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa. He owns the eponymous conglomerate, among other things, cement manufactures. The business magazine Forbes gives his fortune with the equivalent of nearly 13 billion euros, observers estimate it even higher.
For the accompanying business delegation, the visit of the President to be above all an opportunity for new orders. That puts Nigeria’s economy due to the fallen price of Oil in a deep crisis because of the state budget of the West African country is based to 70 percent on oil revenues. Many economists see, but therein is a Chance, the economy of the country to finally diversify.
Investment opportunities despite the economic crisis: billionaire Aliko Dangote
Dangote calls the German investment: “It is still a good time, here to do business”, attracts the billionaire the Wirtschaftsdelegierten. “This is a ‘Win-Win’ for German companies and Nigeria.” At the end of the meeting, signed by the Verband Deutscher Maschinen – und Anlagebau (VDMA) with the CEO an agreement over 14 million euros. The German industry is to help Nigerian mechanic and electrician training.
German assistance in the fight against corruption in Nigeria
So the President at the end of his four-day trip to Meet with his Nigerian counterpart, a rather positive conclusion of his stay. Especially when
Fight against all of the other problems überschattende corruption is the country under President Muhammadu Buhari, a large progress has been made, says Gauck. And if Nigeria police and the judiciary in the fight against corruption, the support of Germany’s need, offer it to you.
Joachim Gauck and Muhammadu Buhari
Finally speaks, the President is also the Plight of the Terrorvertriebenen that he at the beginning of his visit to the refugee camps has met and experienced an unusual emotional Nigerian President. “Yes, it is a pitiful Situation, with the leadership of the country there is facing”, says the former General, as he is about the Situation of displaced children speaks. It is important to do everything that these refugees back to a dignified life in their homeland.
In a refugee camp, New Kuchigoro believe hardly anyone, that the people soon in their villages in the North of Nigeria to be able to return. Although, the army in the last months successes in the fight against Boko Haram. But again and again hits the terror group. During the trip of the President to blow up suicide bombers in a refugee camp in the North-East of the country, in the air and killing at least 58 people. Also for this
Stop make authorities and security forces Boko Haram is responsible.