Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

Official Dinner hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo

Abuja, Nigeria, 15 February 2000

Your Excellency President Obasanjo, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour and a great pleasure to be here in Nigeria, and to enjoy the hospitality offered by you, Mr. President, and by your countrymen. The distinguished and colourful welcoming ceremony yesterday evening impressed us all.

I congratulate you with the result of last year’s elections, on a programme to put Nigeria firmly on the path of political and economic reform.

Upon the elections, your government has set in motion an ambitious programme for change. Developing the economy, combating corruption, overhauling the public administration, and ensuring respect for human rights: These are your key objectives.

We are impressed by your unequivocal commitment to thorough and comprehensive reform, after years of mismanagement under military rule.

And I am impressed by the energy and political will demonstrated by you, Mr. President, in facing up to the multitude of these challenges. I know that you yourself suffered the injustices of political persecution under military rule in the 1990’s.

The last visit of a Norwegian Prime Minister to Nigeria took place in 1977, in connection with an international anti-apartheid conference. At that time, also, you were president of Nigeria. Shortly thereafter, you stepped down, and handed over power to a democratically elected civilian government.

The present visit is the first official visit of a Norwegian Prime Minister to Nigeria. I find it fitting that you, with your longstanding commitment to democracy, today receive me as the elected president of this great nation.

Mr President,

Nigeria and Norway are both major petroleum producers and exporters. Norway is also a major exporter of natural gas. We share a strong interest in a stable global oil market. I believe it is in our common interest, and in the interest of the marketplace, that we continue to exchange views on petroleum related issues.

Both of our countries must also cope with the challenge of large and potentially dominating petroleum sectors. The revenue generated by petroleum exports offer great opportunities. But they also require policies that are well thought through.

In my country we have sought to channel the great wealth generated by oil and gas exports towards a balanced development of the country, both in social and geographical terms. The whole country and the whole population must share the benefits of this national resource. This in its turn requires an efficient and capable public sector.

I understand you are faced with a similar challenge; to ensure that all parts of the country and all Nigerians have a share in the benefits of the black gold. A fair distribution of wealth and opportunities is the best recipe for broad based social development and economic and political stability. Norway may have experience that can be of value to Nigeria in this respect.

It was my privilege this morning to open a Round Table on petroleum and energy. Representatives of a large number of Norway's major companies within this sector took part.

The broad participation of representatives of the Norwegian offshore industry in my delegation and at the Round-Table meeting, underlines their interest in the Nigerian petroleum industry. Nigerian exploration is now moving into deeper waters. This is an area in which Norway has particular expertise, and where our industry can offer advanced technological solutions.

The Round Table meeting will be followed by a technological seminar in Lagos tomorrow, where the companies will present state of the art technology related to activities down to depths of 1,500 meters below sea level.

I hope that the Memorandum of Understanding with emphasis on the petroleum sector, that we are in the process of finalising, will strengthen co-operation between the petroleum sectors of our two countries.

Although we are focussing on the oil and energy sector, we should not overlook Norwegian shipping, and fish exports. Both have long traditions in Nigeria. We will be looking for opportunities for trade and investments in these and other areas. The Norwegian Trade Council’s seminar today focused on energy, telecommunications, and water supply and sanitation – key areas where Norwegian companies see new possibilities.

Mr President,

Before coming here yesterday, I had the honour to visit Mozambique and South Africa. South Africa has gone through tremendous change over the past decade. It is today a strong force for development and democracy in all southern Africa. Nigeria has an equally strong potential for helping to generate development in West Africa, and on the whole continent. It seems to me that these two countries can make a real difference in Africa.

We appreciate Nigeria’s efforts to build regional co-operation, and the major role you play in the ECOWAS. A democratic and stable Nigeria will have much to offer the region. You have shouldered major responsibilities in peacekeeping and conflict resolution in West Africa. We hope that Nigeria will continue these positive efforts, under the auspices of ECOWAS and with the support of the United Nations.

Norway has actively supported the ECOWAS Moratorium on the Manufacture, Export and Import of Small Arms and Light Weapons. We will continue to work closely with the countries in the region on this issue.

Human rights is a major element in Norwegian foreign policy. We have noted with great appreciation the remarkable and positive changes that have taken place in Nigeria in this field over the last 1^2 years. We believe that this is an area where we can develop our co-operation. With the Minister of International Co-operation and Human Rights, I shall tomorrow open a Norwegian-Nigerian seminar in Lagos, on Social Responsibility and Human Rights.

In December the Norwegian Government launched a Plan of Action for Human Rights. The primary objective of this plan is to work for the respect and protection of human rights and dignity, in Norway and internationally. We hope that this Plan of Action may serve as a source of inspiration also for others.

Mr President,

Yours is a country of ancient civilisations. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and many other Nigerian novelists and poets have made a lasting contribution to 20th century literature.

It is my hope that you today can draw on the history of this great and diverse country, mobilise its vast resources, and release its tremendous energies and potential to ensure democracy and development for all.

We are impressed by the ambitions you have set for yourselves.

We recognise that Nigeria will need the support of the international community to overcome the challenges it is faced with. We supported the forces of democracy during the years of oppression. We will continue to stand by you. My visit is an expression of our wish to expand co-operation with the democratic Nigeria.

May I propose a toast to you Mr. President, and to the people of Nigeria.