Nigeria’s foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Tuesday held a phone conversation on critical issues bordering on bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
Also, part of their discussion majors on the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the fight against insurgency in the Nigeria’s northeast.
AfDB President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has been in an epic battle over allegations of impropriety leveled against him by whistle blower.
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Though, he was cleared of the allegations by the bank’s Ethics’ Committee in its report, accepted by the Board of Governors, some AfDB non regional stakeholders, notably the United States, rejected the report and called for a fresh probe by an independent body.
A statement by the Office of the US Department of State Spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, said Pompeo and Onyeama agreed that transparency and accountability would drive democratic and inclusive development.
The statement said the US also condoled with Nigeria over last week’s Islamic State of West Africa attacks in the North-East which claimed many lives.
It read, “Secretary Pompeo expressed condolences for the loss of life in recent ISIS West Africa attacks in the northeast, and the two discussed Nigeria’s ongoing civilian protection and counter-terrorism efforts.
“Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Onyeama reviewed Nigeria’s progress in fighting COVID-19 and the $30 million in recent U.S. assistance that has helped to strengthen Nigeria’s public health and humanitarian response.”
“They also discussed the African Development Bank and the constructive role of multilateral initiatives in accelerating economic recovery and regional security, and they agreed that transparency and accountability will drive democratic and inclusive development,” the statement added.
