VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUJA #2187/01 3371838
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031838Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7659
INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 2434

UNCLAS ABUJA 002187 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
S/P - TANDREWS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SOCI EAID ECON
SUBJECT: GLOBAL CONTEXT SECTION OF THE QDDR 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 120172 
     ¶B. B) ABUJA 02170 
 
¶1. (U) Ref A requested input from the field regarding the 
global section of the QDDR.  Mission Nigeria's answers pegged 
to Ref A para 4 follow: 
 
A) TO WHAT DEGREE WILL/CAN TECHNOLOGY EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS, OR 
CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE HOST COUNTRY, TO EXERCISE A MORE ACTIVE 
ROLE IN PUBLIC LIFE? 
 
In the short term, the degree is quite limited due to the 
severe infrastructure constraints in Nigeria, ranging from 
telecommunications to power.  That said, the 
telecommunications market is rapidly expanding in Nigeria -- 
by some measures, the biggest in Africa -- and scheduled 
upgrades for bandwidth should improve and expand Internet 
access.  In addition, many Nigerians, especially in urban 
areas, are IT and Internet savvy, and there is strong 
potential for growth in social networks and similar tools. 
 
B) WHAT ATTITUDE DO CRITICAL PUBLICS IN THE HOST COUNTRY 
DISPLAY TOWARD THE SO-CALLED RISING POWERS -- INDIA, CHINA, 
AND BRAZIL -- AND HOW DO THEY PERCEIVE OTHER IMPORTANT 
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS, INCLUDING KEY INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS? 
 
Nigeria has solid historical and significant commercial 
relationships with India and Brazil.  There is a rapidly 
expanding Chinese presence in Nigeria, though Chinese efforts 
to secure major infrastructure contracts and become a major 
player in the Nigerian energy sector have basically come up 
short.  Many Nigerians respect China for its economic 
development and rising international stature, but Ref B notes 
the serious reservations many Nigerian business entities have 
about China, particularly in the context of dissimilar 
corporate cultures and the difficulty of pursuing commercial 
or labor grievances with Chinese firms.  Many Nigerians 
generally respect international organizations, but there are 
pockets of leftists in the south who retain traditional 
leftist suspicions of IFIs and of conservative Islamists 
largely in the north who are suspicious of Western influence. 
 UN agencies are generally the most non-controversial in 
Nigeria. 
 
C) WHAT DOES THE HOST COUNTRY IDENTIFY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT 
ISSUES (BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL) CRITICAL TO ITS OWN 
DEVELOPMENT AND TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WRIT LARGE? 
 
Injecting more transparency and accountability into the 
electoral process and the management of the energy and power 
sectors are generally cited as the country's top priorities. 
At the international level, there is broad but often shallow 
support for G-77 positions on development issues. 
 
D) WHAT IS THE HOST COUNTRY POSITION ON CLIMATE CHANGE 
ISSUES, OR ON ANY RESOURCE CONFLICT QUESTIONS?  WHAT STEPS 
ARE THE HOST COUNTRY GOVERNMENT TAKING TO DEAL WITH POTENTIAL 
FUTURE DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES? 
 
The GON supports efforts to combat climate change and cites 
as one example of its commitment its plans to reduce 
widespread gas flaring in the Niger Delta and the efforts to 
develop a national action plan on protecting the environment. 
 The plan is in the draft stages.  Nigeria's climate change 
position is integrated into the African position, which is 
that developing countries should compensate the developing 
countries for the alleged environmental damages caused by the 
developed world.  In 2009, the government took a number of 
steps, including a successful amnesty program for Niger Delta 
militants and the start of a dialogue with community and 
Delta stakeholders, to end violence and extensive shut-in 
production in the country's main oil producing region.  The 
ultimate success of these efforts to end militancy and 
violence, however, remains in doubt.  The Nigerian government 
Qviolence, however, remains in doubt.  The Nigerian government 
has not taken effective steps to deal with its demographic 
challenges, which remain huge. 
 
E) TO WHAT EXTENT DOES "BACKSLIDING" POSE A THREAT TO LOCAL 
DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT (OR TO WHAT DEGREE DOES THE COUNTRY 
PERCEIVE THIS AS A THREAT ELSEWHERE)? 
 
Since the return of civilian rule in 1999, elections in 
Nigeria have progressively deteriorated in terms of fairness 
and credibility.  Many observers believe that the 2011 
presidential elections will not reverse this trend without 
major electoral reforms, such as separating the Independent 
National Election Commission from the executive branch of 
government.  Thus far, the government has expressed support 
for several relatively minor reforms but has balked at 
implementing the key recommendations of an Electoral Reform 
Commission report issued in 2008.  Nigerians generally take 
little notice of political developments or trends in the 
region, in part because they view Nigeria as the natural 
leader Africa.  However, some politically sophisticated 
Nigerians are aware of and, to some extent, jealous of 
Ghana's recent electoral success and some, including 
President Yar'Adua, have taken a firm stance against the 
marginalization of democracy in Niger and Guinea. 
SANDERS