y not know ria... - Embassy of Nigeria in Bangkok

Transcription

THIRD EDITION
5 Things you may not know
about Nigeria...
th
8
DEMOCRACY EDITION
rd
3
28%
Of Forbes’ 40
richest African
entrepreneurs
are from Nigeria
OUR STEWARDSHIP
33%
Of Nigeria’s
territory is
arable
Largest English
speaking nation
in the world
after India and
the USA
rd
3
Largest movie
industry after
Bollywood and
Hollywood
Most populous
country in the
world
EMBASSY OF NIGERIA, BANGKOK
412 Sukhumvit 71 Road, Phrakhanong, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66-2711-3076-7 Fax: +66-2392-6398
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nigeriaembassybkk.org
Thailand:
Road map to
Democracy
Nigeria:
Africa’s Largest Democracy:
Hope and Promise
Myanmar:
ReformS, Transition
and Democracy
TRANSFORMING
THE POWER SECTOR
THROUGH
PRIVATISATION
Federal Ministry of Power
Contents
From the Ambassador’s Desk
Nigeria Democracy
•Inaugural Speech by President
Muhammadu Buhari following his
Swearing-in as President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria on 29th May 2015
•Former President’s Speech after the 2015
General Election
•Elections 2015
Investment Opportunities in Nigeria
•Investing in Agriculture in Nigeria
Stewardship
•The Visit of Anambra State Investment
Delegation to the Kingdom of Thailand
from 19th - 23rd October 2014
2-3
7 - 11
12
13 - 16
17 - 21
22 - 25
•Anambra-Thailand Investment Summit and
Trade Mission, Awka, Anambra State
from 19th - 24th January 2015
•Inauguration of the Passport Issuing
Machine by the Comptroller General of
the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)
Mr. David Parradang, MNI, OFR,
on 20th March 2015
26 - 28
•Conflict Management Programme:
the Ambassador’s Story
33 - 35
29 - 32
•Ambassador’s Visits to Thai Universities
Investment in Thailand
Relations with Myanmar
•Nigeria’s Relations with the Republic
of the Union of Myanmar
Asean Economic Community
Personality Profile
•Dr. Akinwumi Adesina
African Development Bank President
Stewardship
•The Ambassador’s Wife: Views from
the Other Side of Diplomatic Life
•The 54th Anniversary of Nigeria’s
Independence Celebration in Pictures
•Nigerian Community Association, Thailand:
the Dawn of a New Era
•Nigerian Pastors Association (NPAT),
Thailand Chapter
•Nigerian Students Association (NSAT),
Thailand Chapter
•Best Local Staff Award - 2014
36 - 37
38 - 44
45 - 53
54 - 57
58
59 - 64
65 - 71
72 - 75
76
77
78 - 79
Publisher: Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok
Advisor: R. U. Brown
Editor-in-Chief: G. S. Jalo
Contributing Editors: B. O. Ejiwale, J. J. Irmiya
Designed & Printed by: Amarin Printing and Publishing PLC.
This third edition is published under the advocacy of H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor
For further inquiries, please contact:
Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok
Tel: +66-2711-3076-7 Fax: +66-2392-6398
From the
Ambassador’s Desk
2
OU R ST E W A R D SH I P
A
s the Nigerian Mission in Bangkok,
Thailand, continues to make
steady strides in fulfilling its mandate
to enhance and strengthen bilateral
co-operation between Nigeria and
Thailand on one hand, and Myanmar
on the other, it has again become
necessary to put these efforts on
record, in view of the very positive
developments since the last edition.
In this regard, I hasten to pinpoint the
historic Nigerian elections of 28th March
and 11th April 2015 respectively, that
resulted in the electoral triumph of H.E.
Muhammadu Buhari, as President. It is,
therefore, in addition to the unceasing
quest for democracy in our host
country and country of concurrent
accreditation, appropriate to caption
the current publication, the “Democracy
edition”.
To this end, recall that the
inaugural edition of the magazine in
September 2013, was a major step in
our stewardship, not just in Thailand
and Myanmar, but also in Nigeria
and within the wider international
community especially in our overseas
Missions.
Over the course of the last
few months, our range of activities
could be described as full plate and
promising. This edition is, therefore,
a ready reference and readers’ delight.
As the previous editions, the current
volume will be available electronically
through our website as follows: www.
nigeriaembassybkk.org.
Indeed, the plain truth as
indicated, is that the current volume
owes much to the positive and helpful
feedbacks on previous editions and,
of course, a veritable proof that
the Mission’s research team is not only
equal to the task but up and running
on all cylinders. It is kudos to each and
everyone of them. Evidently, judging
from the cover, President Buhari’s
victory is a testament to the belief and
sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.
It is a signal to the world that Africa’s
largest economy cum democracy
has come of age and ready to take
its rightful place in the comity of
nations. We share in the virtue that
by conceding defeat before the last
count of votes were announced and
congratulating the winner graciously,
former President Jonathan has booked
his place in history’s hall of fame, as
a statesman who thinks of Nigeria’s
future beyond personal interest.
Even so, the undisputed heroes of
the election were Nigerians, who
showed commitment and determination
that enabled their votes to count. This
picturesque presentation will tell the
story.
What you will equally find
illuminating and interesting in this
bumper edition include core activities
of the Mission in terms of what
we have done both in Thailand and
Myanmar, to reset the basis of our
economic co-operation, the business
sector engagements in both countries
targeted at foreign direct investments
to and from Nigeria, views from the
Nigerian Community, the new Passport
Machine and much more.
This package provides the reader
with an accurate snapshot of what
the Embassy does. Again, with immense
thanks for your feedbacks.
DE M O CR A CY E D I T I O N
Chudi Okafor, OON
Ambassador
3
Muhammadu
Buhari
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of Nigeria
4
H.E. Ambassador
B.
Z.
Lolo
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja
5
Embassy’s Home-Based Staff
Embassy’s
Home-Based Staff
Chudi N. Okafor, OON
Ambassador
Mrs. F. V. Aiyedun
Minister / Political
Mrs. B. O. Ejiwale
First Secretary
(Economics)
Mrs. P. I. Anabui
Admin Attaché I
6
Mr. G. S. Jalo
Second Secretary
(Consular)
Mr. J. J. Irmiya
Finance Attaché
Mr. R. U. Brown
Minister / Head of Chancery
Mr. V. O. Iorpuu
Immigration Attaché I
Mrs. O. C. Ejembi
Admin Attaché II
Ms. D. Mutfwang
Immigration Attaché II
Nigeria Democracy
Muhammadu Buhari
President
INAUGURAL SPEECH
BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI FOLLOWING
HIS SWEARING-IN AS PRESIDENTth OF THE FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON 29 MAY 2015
I
am immensely grateful to God
who has preserved us to witness
this day and this occasion. Today
marks a triumph for Nigeria and an
occasion to celebrate her freedom and
cherish her democracy. Nigerians have
shown their commitment to democracy
and are determined to entrench its
culture. Our journey has not been
easy but thanks to the determination
of our people and strong support from
friends abroad, we have today a truly
democratically elected government
in place.
I would like to thank President
Goodluck Jonathan for his display of
statesmanship in setting a precedent
for us that has now made our people
7
proud to be Nigerians wherever they
are. With the support and co-operation
he has given to the transition process,
he has made it possible for us to
show the world that despite the
perceived tension in the land, we can
be a united people capable of doing
what is right for our nation. Together
we co-operated to surprise the world
that had come to expect only the
worst from Nigeria. I hope this act
of graciously accepting defeat by the
outgoing President will become the
standard of political conduct in the
country.
I would like to thank the millions
of our supporters who believed in
us even when the cause seemed
hopeless. I salute their resolve in
waiting long hours in rain and hot
sunshine to register and cast their
votes and stay all night if necessary
to protect and ensure their votes
count and were counted. I thank those
who tirelessly carried the campaign
on the social media. At the same time,
I thank our other countrymen and
women who did not vote for us but
contributed to make our democratic
culture truly competitive, strong and
definitive.
I thank all of you.
Having just a few minutes ago
sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to
keep my oath and serve as President
to all Nigerians.
I belong to everybody and I
belong to nobody.
A few people have privately
voiced fears that on coming back to
office I shall go after them. These
8
fears are groundless. There will be
no paying off old scores. The past
is prologue.
Our neighbours in the subregion
and our African brethren should rest
assured that Nigeria under our
administration will be ready to play
any leadership role that Africa expects
of it. Here I would like to thank the
governments and people of Cameroon,
Chad and Niger for committing their
armed forces to fight Boko Haram in
Nigeria.
I also wish to assure the
wider international community of our
readiness to co-operate and help
to combat threats of cross-border
terrorism, sea piracy, refugees and
boat people, financial crime, cyber
crime, climate change, the spread
of communicable diseases and other
challenges of the 21st century.
At home we face enormous
challenges, insecurity, pervasive
corruption, the hitherto unending and
seemingly impossible fuel and power
shortages are the immediate concerns.
We are going to tackle them head
on. Nigerians will not regret that they
have entrusted national responsibility
to us. We must not succumb to
hopelessness and defeatism. We can
fix our problems.
In recent times, Nigerian
leaders appear to have misread
our mission. Our founding fathers,
Mr. Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji
Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto,
Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,
Mallam Aminu Kano, Chief J. S. Tarka,
Mr. Eyo Ita, Chief Denis Osadeby,
Chief Ladoke Akintola and their
colleagues worked to establish certain
standards of governance. They might
have differed in their methods or
tactics or details, but they were united
in establishing a viable and progressive
country. Some of their successors
behaved like spoilt children breaking
everything and bringing disorder to
the house.
Furthermore, we as Nigerians
must remind ourselves that we are heirs
to great civilisations: Shehu Uthman
dan Fodio’s caliphate, the Kanem-Borno
Empire, the Oyo Empire, the Benin Empire
and King Jaja’s formidable domain.
The blood of those great ancestors
flow in our veins. What is now
required is to build on these legacies,
to modernise and uplift Nigeria.
Daunting as the task may be
it is by no means insurmountable.
There is now a national consensus
that our chosen route to national
development is democracy. To achieve
our objectives, we must consciously
work the democratic system. The
Federal Executive under my watch will
not seek to encroach on the duties
and functions of the legislative and
judicial arms of government. The law
enforcing authorities will be charged
to operate within the Constitution.
We shall rebuild and reform the public
service to become more effective and
more serviceable. We shall charge
them to apply themselves with
integrity to stabilise the system.
For their part, the legislative arm
must keep to their brief of making
laws, carrying out over-sight functions
and doing so expeditiously. The judicial
system needs reform to cleanse itself
from its immediate past. The country
now expects the judiciary to act with
dispatch on all cases especially on
corruption, serious financial crimes or
abuse of office. It is only when the
three arms act constitutionally that
government will be enabled to serve
the country optimally and avoid the
confusion all too often bedeviling
governance today.
Elsewhere relations between
Abuja and the States have to be
clarified if we are to serve the country
better. Constitutionally there are limits
to powers of each of the three tiers
of government but that should not
mean the Federal Government should
fold its arms and close its eyes
to what is going on in the states
and local governments. Not least
the operations of the Local Government
Joint Account. While the Federal
Government cannot interfere in
the details of its operations, it will
ensure that the gross corruption at
the local level is checked. As far as
the constitution allows me, I will try
to ensure that there is responsible and
accountable governance at all levels
of government in the country. For I
will not have kept my own trust with
the Nigerian people if I allow others
abuse theirs under my watch.
However, no matter how well
organised the governments of the
federation are, they cannot succeed
without the support, understanding
and co-operation of labour unions,
9
organised private sector, the press and
civil society organisations. I appeal
to employers and workers alike to
unite in raising productivity so that
everybody will have the opportunity
to share in increased prosperity. The
Nigerian press is the most vibrant in
Africa. My appeal to the media today
– and this includes the social media –
is to exercise its considerable powers
with responsibility and patriotism.
My appeal for unity is predicated
on the seriousness of the legacy
we are getting into. With depleted
foreign reserves, falling oil prices,
leakages and debts the Nigerian
economy is in deep trouble and
will require careful management to
bring it round and to tackle the
immediate challenges confronting
us, namely; Boko Haram, the Niger
Delta situation, the power shortages
and unemployment especially among
young people. For the longer term
we have to improve the standards
of our education. We have to look at
the whole field of medicare. We have
to upgrade our dilapidated physical
infrastructure.
The most immediate is Boko
Haram’s insurgency. Progress has
been made in recent weeks by our
security forces but victory cannot be
achieved by basing the Command
and Control Centre in Abuja. The
command centre will be relocated
to Maiduguri and remain until Boko
Haram is completely subdued.
But we cannot claim to have defeated
Boko Haram without rescuing the
Chibok girls and all other innocent
10
persons held hostage by insurgents.
This government will do all
it can to rescue them alive. Boko
Haram is a typical example of small
fires causing large fires. An eccentric
and unorthodox preacher with a tiny
following was given posthumous fame
and following by his extra judicial
murder at the hands of the police.
Since then through official bungling,
negligence, complacency or collusion
Boko Haram became a terrifying
force taking tens of thousands of
lives and capturing several towns and
villages covering swathes of Nigerian
sovereign territory.
Boko Haram is a mindless,
godless group who are as far away
from Islam as one can think of. At the
end of the hostilities when the group
is subdued the Government intends
to commission a sociological study
to determine its origins, remote and
immediate causes of the movement,
its sponsors, the international
connexions to ensure that measures
are taken to prevent a recurrence of
this evil. For now the Armed Forces
will be fully charged with prosecuting
the fight against Boko Haram. We shall
overhaul the rules of engagement
to avoid human rights violations
in operations. We shall improve
operational and legal mechanisms
so that disciplinary steps are taken
against proven human right violations
by the Armed Forces.
Boko Haram is not only the
security issue bedeviling our country.
The spate of kidnappings, armed
robberies, herdsmen/farmers clashes,
cattle rustlings all help to add to the
general air of insecurity in our land.
We are going to erect and maintain
an efficient, disciplined people-friendly
and well-compensated security forces
within an overall security architecture.
The amnesty programme in the
Niger Delta is due to end in December, but
the Government intends to invest heavily in
the projects, and programmes currently
in place. I call on the leadership and
people in these areas to co-operate
with the State and Federal Government
in the rehabilitation programmes which
will be streamlined and made more
effective. As ever, I am ready to listen
to grievances of my fellow Nigerians.
I extend my hand of fellowship to
them so that we can bring peace and
build prosperity for our people.
No single cause can be identified
to explain Nigerian’s poor economic
performance over the years than
the power situation. It is a national
shame that an economy of 180
million generates only 4,000 MW,
and distributes even less. Continuous
tinkering with the structures of power
supply and distribution and close on
$20b expanded since 1999 have only
brought darkness, frustration, misery,
and resignation among Nigerians.
We will not allow this to go on.
Careful studies are under way during
this transition to identify the quickest,
safest and most cost-effective way
to bring light and relief to Nigerians.
Unemployment, notably youth
unemployment features strongly in
our Party’s Manifesto. We intend to
attack the problem frontally through
revival of agriculture, solid minerals
mining as well as credits to small and
medium size businesses to kick-start
these enterprises. We shall quickly
examine the best way to revive major
industries and accelerate the revival
and development of our railways,
roads and general infrastructure.
Your Excellencies, My fellow
Nigerians I cannot recall when Nigeria
enjoyed so much goodwill abroad
as now. The messages I received
from East and West, from powerful
and small countries are indicative of
international expectations on us. At
home the newly elected government is
basking in a reservoir of goodwill and
high expectations. Nigeria therefore
has a window of opportunity to fulfill
our long-standing potential of pulling
ourselves together and realising our
mission as a great nation.
Our situation somehow reminds
one of a passage in Shakespeare’s
Julius Caesar
“There is a tide in the affairs
of men,
Which taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of
their life,
Is bound in shallows and
miseries.”
We have an opportunity. Let us
take it.
Thank you.
Muhammadu Buhari
President,
11
Nigeria Democracy
FORMER
PRESIDENT’S
SPEECH
AFTER THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION
F
ellow Nigerians,
I thank you all
for turning out en masse
for the 28 th March
General Elections.
I promised the
country free and fair
elections. I have kept
my word. I have
also expanded the
space for Nigerians
to participate in the
democratic process.
That is one legacy I
will like to see endure.
Although some
people have expressed
mixed feelings about
the results announced
by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge
those who may feel aggrieved to follow due
process based on our constitution and electoral
laws, in seeking redress.
As I have always affirmed, nobody’s
ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.
The unity, stability and progress of our dear
country is more important than anything else.
I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully
going through the process of the 28th March General
Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and
commitment that was demonstrated nationwide.
I also commend the Security Services for
their role in ensuring that the elections were
mostly peaceful and violence-free.
To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you
for your support. Today, the PDP should be
celebrating rather than mourning. We have
12
established a legacy
of democratic freedom,
transparency, economic
growth and free and
fair elections.
For the past 16
years, we have steered
the country away from
ethnic and regional
politics. We created a
Pan-Nigerian political
party and brought
home to our people the
realities of economic
development and
social transformation.
Through patriotism
and diligence, we have
built the biggest and
most patriotic party in
Nigerian history. We must stand together as
a party and look to the future with renewed
optimism.
I thank all Nigerians once again for the great
opportunity I was given to lead this country
and assure you that I will continue to do my
best at the helm of national affairs until the end
of my tenure.
I have conveyed my personal best wishes
to General Muhammadu Buhari.
May God Almighty continue to bless
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I thank you all.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
Former President,
31st March 2015
Nigeria Democracy
Elections 2015
By Samson Ezea
T
he Nigerian general election
of 2015 was the 5th general
election to be held since the end of
military rule in 1999. Voters elected
the President, members of House
of Representatives and the Senate.
The former President, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan sought his second and
final term. The elections were first
scheduled to be held on 14th February
2015. However, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC)
postponed it by six weeks to 28th
March, due to security concerns in
the Northeast region of the country.
There is no doubt that the shift
in the initial date for the poll provided
ample opportunity for the electoral
umpire INEC to make adequate
preparations, and the presidential
13
candidates to re-strategise on their
President Buhari approach, alignment and negotiations.
with Former 14 political parties participated in the
President
Jonathan presidential election with the PDP
and APC being at the forefront.
The PDP flag bearer was the former
President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
while the opposition party APC had
the incumbent President, Muhammadu
Buhari has its flag bearer. Nigerians
turned out en masse to cast their votes
in order to ensure their candidates
of choice were elected. After the
election, Muhammadu Buhari won
the election by 15,424,921 votes
against former President Jonathan’s
12,853,162 amounting to 53.96%
and 44.96% respectively.
Following the emergence of
Muhammadu Buhari, as the Presidential
candidate of All Progressives Congress
(APC) and former President Goodluck
14
Jonathan from Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) in the party primaries, many
Nigerians became apprehensive that
the poll or its outcome may be marred
by violence coupled with the fear of
a possible disintegration of the nation.
Similarly, the international community
feared for its outcome because of
a history of post-election violence.
President Barack Obama of the United
States of America, among many world
statesmen, pleaded for a peaceful
election.
It was as a result of this that
the former Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi had early in
the year wrote to the Presidential
candidates of the two leading political
parties (PDP and APC), urging
them to unequivocally express their
commitment to peaceful campaigns
and elections, as well as proper
management of reactions to the
results of the polls to achieve peaceful
outcome. Akinyemi’s argument was
premised on the fact that if the leaders
of the two parties could publicly come
together to profess peace and urge
their supporters to do the same, the
political temperature of the country
will be normalised and the prevalent
tensions reduced drastically.
Many Nigerians shared Akinyemi’s
fear and joined in the clarion call for
a peace accord to be signed by
the major political parties ahead of
the polls. Initially, the Presidency
dismissed Akinyemi’s suggestion with
a wave of hand, but later made an
upturn to embrace it. The Presidency
further championed the idea through
the offices of the National Security
Adviser to the President, and Special
Adviser to the President on inter-party
affairs that organised the general
election sensitisation workshop in
Abuja. The workshop was attended
by former President Jonathan and
Muhammadu Buhari alongside their
supporters and party leaders. At
the end of the workshop, all the
presidential candidates signed a peace
accord.
However, the outcome of the
election defied widely held fears
and foreboding headlines and set a
positive example for the region. The
result has been hailed as historic
as both Professor Attahiru Jega,
Chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), and
former President Goodluck Jonathan,
were lavishly praised for different
Former President H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with
Mr. President during the inauguration
H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
taking oath of office
15
Mr. President
with US Secretary
of State at the
inauguration
reasons. The former and his team
for conducting a relatively successful
election, while Jonathan was praised
for sportsmanship in conceding victory
to his victorious challenger, retired
General Muhammadu Buhari.
29th May 2015 marked a historic
day in Nigeria as the new President
Muhammadu Buhari was sworn into
office. The cross-section of guests at
the ceremony included amongst others
past Presidents and Heads of State of
Nigeria, US Secretary of State John
Kerry and African leaders.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo taking
oath of office
Former Vice President Namadi Sambo
in a warm handshake with some
past Nigerian Heads of State
16
Investment Opportunities in Nigeria
INVESTING IN AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA
THE NIGERIAN INVESTMENT PROMOTION COMMISSION (NIPC)
Country Prof ile
Name
: Federal Republic of Nigeria
Location
: West Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Republics of Benin
and Cameroon
Capital
: Abuja
Administrative Divisions: 36 States and 1 Territory
Total Mass Area: 923,768 sq km
Land
: 910,768 sq km
Water
: 13,000 sq km
Coastline : 853 km
Climate
: Equatorial in the south, Tropical in the center, and Arid in the north.
Growth Rate : 6.5% (2013)
External Reserve : US$46.6 billion
Inflation Rate : 8.7%
Population
: 170 million
Age Structure
0 - 14 years : 43.9%
15 - 64 years : 53.1%
65 years and over : 3%
Population Growth Rate: 2.3% (2012 est.)
Birth Rate
: 40 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Death Rate
: 16 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Religions
: Muslim, Christian, indigenous beliefs
Languages
: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy Total Population : 62%
Legal System : Based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern
states), and traditional law
Currency
: Naira (NGN)
Nigeria’s Business Environment
Nigeria is endowed with natural resources
– huge deposit of oil & gas, bitumen and other
mineral resources.
The Nigerian economy has remained
relatively strong over the last years recording
an annual average real GDP growth of about
7%. The non-oil sector has been the main driver
of this growth which is a direct reflection of
government’s deliberate effort at diversifying
the economy. The moderate inflation being
experienced has been attributable, largely, to
good agricultural harvest, increase in crude oil
production, sustained investment in infrastructure
by Government and a non-accommodating
monetary policy.
Government has shown great commitment
to the implementation of a market-oriented
economy; the private sector is being empowered
to lead in the running of the economy. All
erstwhile monopoly sectors are being deregulated
to allow for private investment. The Banking
sector has been re-engineered and recapitalised
to create modern and big institutions capable
of sustaining long-term investment and support
private sector growth.
In the energy sector, government remains
committed to deregulating pricing mechanisms,
17
NIGERIAN ECONOMY AT A GLANCE
✔ Largest ECONOMY in Africa
license private power producers and independent
refineries. A more private sector-oriented
legislation (the Petroleum Industry Bill) is being
put together to enhance transparency in the oil
and gas industry while the Nigerian Electricity
Reform Act had institutionalised a private sector
participatory framework in the electricity industry.
Nigeria’s credit rating by international
rating organisations has continued to receive
positive reviews; an attestation of improved
financial stability and optimism over reforms
in the banking and energy sectors. Moody’s
upgraded Nigeria’s rating assigning local and
foreign currency issuer rating of Ba3 to the
government, and Standard and Poor’s ratings
raised its long-term foreign and local currency
sovereign credit rating to BB- with a stable
outlook. This is three points below investment
grade, from B+. This brings its view in line with
Fitch ratings.
These three foremost rating agencies in
the world have collectively agreed that Nigeria
is emerging as a veritable destination for
investment.
The country is rated among the Next 11
leading “Global Growth Generators” (3G) over
the next 40 years (Goldman Sachs, 2005).
Nigeria is also one of the countries among
the new emerging economic bloc (Mexico,
Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) with potential for
High Return on Investment (RoI) in the next
ten years (Fidelity International, 2011).
It is further ranked highest recipient of FDI
inflows into Africa ($7.03b) in 2013 ahead of
South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Angola (UNCTAD).
18
✔ 26th Largest economy in The World
✔ Half A Trillion Naira GDP
✔ Three Billion Dollar GDP
✔ Largest Black Country In The World, 170 Million People
✔ Largest Entrepreneurial Population In Africa
✔ 128 Million Mobile Phone Users
✔ Third Largest Movie Industry In The World
✔ Diversifying Economy with Growing Non-Oil Sector
Services 51%, Agric 22%, Industry 26%, Oil 15%
Leading Destination For Investment In Africa - UNCTAD
The Nigerian Investment
Promotion Commission (NIPC)
The Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission (NIPC) is Nigeria’s foremost
investment promotion agency (IPA) mandated
to promote and encourage investment into the
Nigerian economy. This it does by sensitisation
of the public on investment opportunities in all
the sectors through its inbound and outbound
missions. The Commission is also mandated to
administer incentives and provide friendly climate
for investment to thrive in Nigeria through its
unique one stop shop.
City of Lagos
The One Stop Investment Centre (OSIC)
is an investment facilitation mechanism, which
brings relevant government Agencies (about 26
presently) to one location, to provide efficient,
coordinated and streamlined transparent services
to investors. It provides investors with a single
place to pick up all documents and approvals that
are statutorily needed to set up an investment
project in Nigeria. The Centre also aims to remove
obstacles and overcome bureaucracy faced by
investors in setting up and running of business.
At OSIC, investors are regarded as
coming to add value to the Nigerian economy
and, accordingly, the Centre rolls out the red
carpet for them, by assisting them to navigate
through the legal, administrative and regulatory
framework, procedures and requirements for
business entry for doing business in Nigeria.
OSIC ensures that investors’ needs are met
proactively, individually, promptly, transparently,
and cost-effectively.
Principal Laws on Foreign
Investments
The principal laws regulating foreign
investments in Nigeria are:
a.The Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission Act No. 16 of 1995; and
b.The Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and
Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No. 17 of 1995.
The Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission (NIPC) Act No. 16 of 1995 essentially:
i) Liberalised the economy and deregulated
the participation of foreign investors in all
activities in the economy except those under
the “negative list”, and recently, activities
covered under the Coastal and Inland Shipping
(Cabotage) Act No. 5 of 2003 and the Nigerian
Oil and Gas Industry Content Act 2010;
ii)Established the Nigerian Investment
Promotion Commission as the apex investment
promotion and facilitation agency of the federal
government;
iii)Guarantees the non-expropriation or
nationalisation of investment except on national
interest and with due consideration being
negotiated.
Dr. Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man
19
The Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and
Miscellaneous) Provisions Act No. 17 of 1995
guarantees the unrestricted transferability of
investment capital, profit and dividend through
authorised institutions.
Under these two regimes complemented
by sector specific laws and regulations,
government had effectively guided the operations
of private investment in the economy and freely
encouraged local entrepreneurs to flourish.
Agricultural Sector
rice. Rice grows all across Nigeria; hence, self
sufficiency in rice production is attainable. The
country’s priority is to address structural problem
of lack of milling capacity for quality rice.
Cocoa: Nigeria is the fourth-largest
producer of cocoa beans in the world. Before
Nigeria’s independence in 1960, cocoa was
generating 90% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange
earnings annually; Nigeria still produces between
300,000 - 350,000 tonnes of cocoa annually.
The country exports about 96% of its cocoa
crop. Fourteen of Nigeria’s 36 states grow
cocoa.
Cassava is Africa’s most important staple
food crop, after maize. Nigeria is the world’s
largest producer of cassava, producing around
45 million tonnes; almost 19% of total world
production. Despite its pre-eminent position in
cassava growing, Nigeria has yet to make much
impact on the global cassava market, since most
of its production is consumed domestically. But
with new initiatives aimed at increasing and
improving cassava production, and developing
new ways to use the crop, Nigeria hopes to
utilise cassava as part of its strategy to diversify
its economy away from petroleum.
Sugar is the second agricultural import in
Nigeria in terms of quantity. The average share
of imports of raw sugar in the domestic supply
is about 96% (2005 - 2009).
Fiscal incentive for sugar is as follows:
- Machinery and spare parts for the
establishment of local sugar manufacturing
industries attracts 0% import duty
- Sugar cane to sugar value chain
investors enjoys five (5) years tax holiday
Agriculture remains one of the most viable
sectors of the Nigerian economy; it accounts for
over 70% of its employment as well as contributing
an annual average of about 35% to the Nation’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the last
5 years. Nigeria has a highly diversified agroecological condition that supports the production
of a wide range of agricultural products; about
80% of the total land area is cultivatable.
However, less than 30% is presently utilised.
The sector is presently dominated by
traditional farming methods; while mechanisation
is relatively low. Government efforts are
therefore being geared towards encouraging
commercial and mechanised farming. A number
of incentives have been put in place to increase
access to mechanised farming equipments and
technological know-how.
While the export potential and capacity of
the sector to guarantee national food security
is undoubted, its performance is however not
commensurate. This had been due largely to the
inability of the sector to attract huge investment
capital mainly because of the land ownership
structure that tilts more to small land holdings.
Arable Farming (Crop Production): Over
70% of the entire land mass (98,300,000 hectares)
of the country is arable. Some of the agricultural
products produced in Nigeria include yam,
cassava, peanut, millet, rice, maize, okra, cocoa,
palm oil, sorghum, rubber, cattle, fish and timber.
The most important food crops are yams and
manioc (cassava) in the south and sorghum
(Guinea corn) and millet in the north.
Rice: Nigeria is the world’s No. 1 importer
of rice; importing over 2 million MT/yr of milled Tomato farm
20
Nigeria has potential to become major
global player within two (2) years, Nigerian dried
cassava chips preferred to Southeast Asia’s due
to higher quantity level.
Why You Should Invest in
Nigeria's Agricultural Sector
- Raw sugar attracts import duty rate
of 10% plus a levy of 50% while refined sugar
attracts import duty rate of 20% plus a levy of
60%.
Investment Opportunities
in Agricultural Sector
As a part of its strategy for rejuvenating
agriculture in the country, the government has
put in place a range of incentives to attract
investors into the sector. Nigeria is endowed
with fertile and cultivable arable land running
into millions of hectares across different regions
for crop cultivations and livestock breeding.
The country is equally blessed with favourable
weather conditions needed for successful
agricultural production, miles of flowing rivers
and resourceful Atlantic Ocean with varieties of
fishes and a vast rich forest belt.
Nigeria has an emerging agro processing
industry and a streamlined port clearance for
agricultural machineries at zero import duty.
The government also provides technical support
through research and development institutes
as well as extension services with developed
financial institution that guarantee adequate
financial support to agricultural activities. The
Nigerian government also provide tax holiday
for agro-processing industry.
Following the recent government reforms
in reviving the sector, diverse investment
opportunities have been opened for private
sector participation. These are crop production
to achieve food security:
• Food processing and preservation
involving industries that will use agricultural
produce as raw materials
• Livestock and fisheries product which
possess a great potential for development
• Agricultural inputs supplies and machinery,
water resources development especially for flood
control infrastructure and irrigation
• Commodity trading and transportation
• Development and fabrication of
appropriate small scale mechanised technologies for on-farming processing and secondary
processing of agricultural produce
• Exploitation of timber and wood processing activities.
Vital Contact
Export Opportunities in
Agricultural Sector
The global market for cassava chips is
estimated at $1.5 to 2 billion, government has
secured 3.2 million MT of contract orders for
Nigerian dried cassava chips from Chinese
importers.
• The Executive Secretary
Nigerian Investment Promotion
Commission (NIPC)
Plot 1181, Aguiyi-Ironsi Street, Maitama,
Abuja, Nigeria
Tel
:+234092904882,
+2348097701606
E-mail :[email protected],
[email protected]
Website:www.nipc.gov.ng
• Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development
Federal Capital Development Authority
Secretariat Complex Block A, Area II
Garki, P.M.B 135, Abuja
21
Stewardship
THE VISIT OF ANAMBRA STATE
INVESTMENT DELEGATION TO
THE
KINGDOM
OF
THAILAND
FROM 19 - 23 OCTOBER 2014
th
rd
T
he Anambra State investment
delegation to the Kingdom of
Thailand was led by the representative
of the Governor of Anambra State, and
Commissioner of Industry, Trade and
Commerce, Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme. Other
members of the delegation included:
i)Mr. Nnamdi Mekoh, former
Commissioner of Agriculture
ii)Mr. Joe Billy Ekwunife, MD/
CEO, Anambra State Investment
Promotion & Protection Agency
(ANSIPPA)
Ambassador introducing the delegation to Executive
Members of the Anambra State Association
22
iii)Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, Senior
Special Assistant to the Governor on
Agriculture
iv)Mr. Mark Okoye, Special Adviser
to the Governor on Investments
The team had a briefing on His
Majesty the King’s Royal projects at
the Office of the Royal Development
Projects Board, Bangkok and conducted
by the Director of the Centre’s
Foreign Affairs Group, Ms. Kamolinee
Suksriwong. She informed her guests
that His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej, who ascended the throne
in 1946 has dedicated his life and
resources to initiating development
projects that would improve the life
of Thai people led to his initiating over
4,500 projects spread all over the
provinces that would directly benefit
the people at the grass root level
and at the same time be consistent
with the local physical, climatic and
sociological conditions.
The delegation visited the One
Start One Stop Investment Center of
the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI)
which hosted the Investment Forum/
Business matchmaking event with
a cross section of Thai investors
and businessmen in attendance.
At the event, H.E. Ambassador
Chudi Okafor, OON, commended
the Secretary General of the Thailand
Board of Investment (BOI), Mr. Udom
Wongviwatchai and the President
of Thai-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce,
Mr. Punchan Hophitakkul, for co-hosting
the forum.
In his presentation, Mr. Ifeatu
Onejeme unfolded the economic blue
print of Anambra State government
which has the vision of making
Anambra the first choice investment
destination in Nigeria through the
creation of a socially stable, business
friendly environment that creates
wealth opportunities for all. The
vehicle for the achievement of this
goal is the adoption of a multisectoral development approach called
Anambra Integrated Development
Strategy (ANIDS) which is predicated
on achieving the United Nations
Millennium Development Goals.
Anambra State
Investment
Delegation with
the Ambassador
at the Royal
Development
Projects Board
in Bangkok
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor
with H.E. Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha,
Prime Minister, at Thai Fruits and
Vegetables Festival in Bangkok,
Thailand
23
Photograph
with Governor
of Bangkok,
M.R. Sukhumbhand
Paribatra
Other presentations included
the agricultural transformation agenda
by the Commissioner for Agriculture,
Mr. Nnamdi Mekoh and the role of the
Anambra State Investment Promotion
and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA)
in attracting over $520 million of
investments to the state since its
establishment six month ago by its
Managing Director/CEO – Mr. Joe
Ambassador and Delegation at
Thailand Board of Investment hall
in Bangkok, Thailand
24
Billy Ekwunife. The presentations were
followed by question and answer
session as well as matchmaking with
Thai investors.
The delegation visited the CP
Rice Mill in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Province, the Sima Inter Product Co., Ltd.,
makers of Cassava Starch Factory in
Nakhon Ratchasima Province and
the Kubota Agricultural Machinery
Factory in Pathum Thani Province where
they were briefed on the production
processes of the firms and their
contributions to the transformation of
agricultural production in Thailand over
the years. They were also conducted
round the factories to have a first-hand
witness of the production chain.
The delegation paid courtesy
calls on the Thai Minister of Agriculture
and Cooperatives, Mr. Petipong Pungbun
Na Ayudhya and was received by
the Vice Minister, Mr. Apichart
Pongsrihadulchai.
They were also received in
audience at the Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration office by its Governor,
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra who
expressed the desire of Thai people
to forge closer ties with the people of
Nigeria in order to enhance bilateral
trade.
The delegation was hosted to
a dinner reception by H.E. Ambassador
Chudi Okafor, OON, at the Residence
where the visitors were presented
with souvenirs. On their final activity,
the visiting Anambra delegation
held a town hall meeting with the
Anambra community in Thailand
where Mr. Ifeatu briefed them on
the development strides of the new
government and also invited them
to take advantage of the conducive
climate at home to invest in Anambra
State. He further admonished them to
be law abiding, of good behaviour and
to refrain from activities that would
tarnish the image of Anambra State
and Nigeria.
Anambra State
Investment
Delegation at
the Kubota
Agricultural
Machinery
Company
Anambra State
Investment
Delegation at
the Corporate
Office of Kubota
Machinery
Company
25
ANAMBRA-THAILAND INVESTMENT
SUMMIT AND TRADE MISSION,
AWKA,
ANAMBRA
STATE
FROM 19 - 24 JANUARY 2015
th
th
Anambra State Government
of Southeast Nigeria played host
to a 33 member strong delegation
of businessmen and women from
the Kingdom of Thailand from 19th 24th January 2015 in the state capital,
Awka. The visit by the Thai business
community was sequel to an investment
drive by the State Governor, H.E.
Dr. Willie M. Obiano, FCA, to the
Kingdom that received a delegation of
Anambra State Government officials at
an investment forum held in Bangkok
from 19th - 23rd October 2015.
The delegation from Thailand was
led by Dr. Ratanaporn Dhammakosol
and comprised businessmen and
investors in areas including agriculture,
industry, trade and commerce, real
estate and urban development, oil
and gas, pharmaceuticals, waste
recycling and management, alternative
power and electricity generation and
distribution, tourism and hospitality
Members of the
Thai business
delegation to
Awka dressed
in traditional
Igbo attire for
the gala night
performance
H.E. Governor Willie Obiano,
Deputy Governor Dr. Nkem
Okeke, former SSG
Hon. Oseloka Osaze,
H.E. Ambassador Chudi
Okafor, Amb. Chailert
Limsomboon, Hon. Joe B.
Ekwunife, MD/CEO,
ANSIPPA at the opening
ceremony of the AnambraThailand Investment Summit
in Awka, Anambra State
26
H.E Governor Willie Obiano, Thai
and Nigerian ambassadors and
leader of delegation
H.E. Governor Willie Obiano welcoming H.E. Ambassador
Chudi Okafor, Amb. Chailert Limsomboon and
Dr. Ratanaporn Dhammakosol, leader of the
Thai trade delegation to Government House, Awka
Cultural performance at the gala night
by the Abriba War Dance Troupe
Cultural performance by the NYSC Dance Troupe at the
gala night
Cultural dancers at the gala night
development, among others. Also
in the team were the Nigerian
Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand,
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor,
OON, the Ambassador of Thailand
to the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
H.E. Chailert Limsomboon and Mr. R. U.
Brown, Minister, Embassy of Nigeria,
Bangkok, among others.
In addition to the seminar
presentations, the trade delegation
had the opportunity of gaining firsthand knowledge of Anambra State
and the existing business climate
through site visits to key industries
and locations including Coscharis
27
Governor Obiano, his wife and
traditional rulers pose for group
photograph with visiting
Thai trade delegation
Governor Obiano and Dr. Ratanaporn
after the signing of the communiqué
Members of the Thai trade delegation singing the Anambra of the Anambra-Thailand Investment
State anthem to the applause of the Governor and guests Summit in Awka
Governor Willie Obiano presents a gift to H.E. Chailert
Limsomboon, Ambassador of Thailand to Nigeria
28
Farm at Anaku in Ayamelum Local
Government Area, Ogbunike Cave in
Oyi Local Government, the famous
Onitsha Main Market, SAB-Miller
Breweries, Onitsha, Innoson Vehicle
Manufacturing Company at Nnewi,
Anambra State University at Igbariam,
Orient Petroleum Plant in Aguleri and
the Ufuma Irrigation Project site.
During the delegation’s visit to the
Onitsha Main Market, the leaders
of the market conferred chieftaincy
titles on the Ambassador of Nigeria
to Thailand and the Thai Ambassador
to Nigeria.
Stewardship
INAUGURATION OF
THE PASSPORT ISSUING
MACHINE BY THE
COMPTROLLER GENERAL
OF THE NIGERIA
IMMIGRATION SERVICE (NIS)
MR. DAVID PARRADANG, MNI, OFR,
ON 20th MARCH 2015
T
he Comptroller General of the
Nigeria Immigration Service
Mr. David Parradang, mni, OFR, on 20th
Comptroller
March 2015 as part of his duty tour
General
of some Southeast Asian countries
of the Nigeria
inaugurated the Equipment Publication
Immigration
Management System (EPMS), simply
Service Mr. David known as the passport issuance
Parradang, mni, machine at the Consular Section of
OFR
the Embassy.
Facts about E-passport
E-passport is an electronic
passport with major shift in passport
technology with the introduction of
computer chips and biometrics to
authenticate the holder.
The e-passport came into
existence following the inherent
security in adequacies of the machine
readable passport that amongst
others allows criminals to fake and
forge easily, and most essentially
the absence of interconnectivity to
the Central database that makes it
possible to obtain multiple passports.
That is not all; the need for reforms,
and additional measures to strengthen
the system against possible abuse,
and enhance the security features,
as well as credibility of our travel
document informed its introduction.
29
Cross section of staff of the Nigeria Immigration Service and members of the Nigerian
Community in Thailand
Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Ambassador
and staff at the inauguration
Similarly, the services are also
in recognition to the world of our
time in seamless society where
technology, and not only ideas rule,
and to key into the reform agenda of
government commenced automation
of its operation, thus the beginning
of ongoing e-immigration.
30
Biometrics and computer chips
as encapsulated above, are all about
information of the passport holder in a
digitalised form, such as finger prints,
photograph, signature etc., which is
stored in on integrated circuit known
as computer chips that is embedded
in the passport.
Ambassador
receiving
souvenir from
the Comptroller
General
The advantages for the introduction
of e-passport are numerous which
amongst other include the followings:
- The need to comply with
standards set by International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) which
ensures that the authenticity of every
country’s e-passport can be verified
in other countries.
- The e-passport helps in quick
passenger clearance, both at the
borders and airports.
- It also helps in keeping
accurate record of persons passing
through our borders.
Faces of Immigration Service staff at the inauguration
Photograph with
Home-based staff
and Immigration
Service staff
31
The Comptroller General
giving a remark during
the commissioning
Technical staff
Mr. Oyewunmi Ayodeji
processes wife of
Ambassador’s e-passport
at the inauguration
- It keeps your identity, to
tackle identity fraud because your
identity is tied to your passport.
- Aside from shoring up the
image of the country, it has as well
positively upped the credibility of our
travel document.
Cross section of the Nigerian Community Association,
Guests and Embassy Staff
32
Stewardship
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMME:
THE AMBASSADOR’S STORY
BY SABBAYE MCFRIFF
J
ust what would make a foreign
diplomat with an ascending career
in Foreign Service take a seeming side
step to come to Kennesaw State to
pursue a master’s degree in conflict
management?
Love of country and thirst
for knowledge, says Chudi Okafor,
the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s
Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
and Myanmar and a permanent observer
at the United Nations Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific.
“Education is a continuum, and
there is no finality,” said Okafor, who
saw pursuing a degree in conflict
management as a way to better serve
Nigeria during its ongoing transition
and transformation after almost four
decades of military rule. “When I
realised Kennesaw State was offering
conflict management at a level where
people who already had their different
specialties and disciplines could
broaden their horizons of knowledge,
it was important for me. I seized the
opportunity with both hands.”
33
Even before he came to Kennesaw
State in 2009, Okafor was primed
for leadership in diplomatic service.
He held several management and
administrative posts at the country’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Headquarters
in the capital city of Abuja.
He also holds a master of
International Law degree from the
University of Lagos and a certificate
in International Relations, Law and
Diplomacy from Nigeria’s Foreign
Service Academy.
In overseas, Okafor has served
as Minister Counselor for the economic
and trade desk at Nigeria’s Embassy
in Moscow, Russia, Senior Counselor
at the Nigeria High Commission in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Head
of Chancery at the Nigeria High
Commission for Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago.
Okafor’s appointment in 2006
as Nigeria’s Consul General for Atlanta
put Kennesaw State on his radar.
His service in that post earned him
accolades from some of Georgia’s
political elite, including former U.N.
Ambassador Andrew Young and
former President Jimmy Carter. It also
gained him audience with Kennesaw
State leaders, whom he encouraged to
reach out to Africa through academic
exchanges in order to “narrow the
Atlantic vault”.
The master’s program gave
Okafor international experience he
considers “transformational” because
he studied alongside and heard
viewpoints of people from Western
Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S. He
also participated in a field trip to Israel
and Palestine.
34
“It was something we never got
from the schools we attended, and
it was such an excitement,” said Okafor,
whose experiences in international
negotiations have engaged him in
sessions at the United Nations,
The Commonwealth and the World
Trade Organization. “The conflict
management professors and guest
lecturers were firmly on their turf and
very well grounded in the field.”
When he completed the programme
in 2011, Okafor returned to Abuja,
where he served eight months as
Chief of Staff to the Secretary to the
Government before being appointed
in November 2011 as the country’s
third ambassador to Thailand.
The ambassadorship is a critical
role for Nigeria as it seeks to diversify
its largely petroleum-based economy,
Okafor said. “After more than 12
years of transition (to a constitutional
democracy), Nigeria is such a very
rich nation, but poor because of our
over-reliance on petroleum. There is a
need to diversify and put other things
in place, especially in agriculture, in
order to create more jobs and more
wealth.”
For many years after its
independence from Great Britain
in 1960, Nigeria was a leader in
agricultural production and export,
Okafor explained. But it lost that edge
during ensuing decades of military rule
and heavy investments in oil production.
Thailand, on the other hand, has
grown into Southeast Asia’s secondlargest economy, fueled by small-andmedium-sized industry and advanced
agricultural production and technology.
Building diplomatic relations
requires the intensive work of filling
“the information gap” to build mutual
trust and respect. Okafor said he
began by reaching out to all the top
functionaries of the government.
The countries also are connected
on the basis of mutual needs. For
example, Okafor noted Thailand’s
leadership in agriculture, which, until
recently, placed them as number one
in the world in rice production, number
one in shrimp production and number
three in poultry.
“They have also done some
really amazing things in Thailand with
cassava – from animal feed to baking
products and French fries to ethanol
fuel,” he said. “Nigeria is the number
one producer of cassava in the world.
We are working to understand and
develop their skills in processing
cassava, as well as understand what
they are doing with rice production
and the processing of gemstones.”
Similarly, Okafor is expanding
the relationship between Nigeria
and Malaysia, where he served as
Senior Counselor at the Nigeria High
Commission in the 1990s. Malaysia
has developed processes to turn
palm oil – a Nigerian staple – into
commercial uses such as ethanol.
“Nigeria gave Malaysia its
first oil palm seedlings. Now we’re
going back and learning from them
the technologies to develop it,” the
ambassador said.
Relations in Myanmar are
also viewed as critical, said Okafor.
He is still exploring possibilities in
the former Burma, which has only
recently opened up to diplomatic
relations. He views the death of 63
Nigerian soldiers who fought in Burma
during World War II under British
command as “touching the very
fabric” of his country’s relationship
with Myanmar. He has worked
to recommend establishment of a
Technical Aid Corps, through which
Nigerian professionals in medicine,
engineering and accounting provide
free capacity-building assistance,
similar to the U.S. Peace Corps.
What Nigeria offers its diplomatic
partners in Southeast Asia is academic
exchange and a wealth of experience
in doing business with the West,
especially its capabilities in English
language. That is considered strategically
important as the 15-nation Association
of Southeast Asian Nations works to
achieve economic integration by 2015.
The language of business for the
new alliance will be English, Okafor
explained.
“Diplomacy of the 21st century
is not about shaking hands and
drinking red wine,” he said. “You
need to reach out and develop real
people-to-people relationships. That
is the real basis of connecting two
countries through different avenues –
culture, education, trade and sports.
It also helps that they really love
football in Thailand.”
Culled from
Kennesaw State University
Magazine 2014
35
Stewardship
AMBASSADOR’S VISITS
TO THAI UNIVERSITIES
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor with the President of Stamford International University
Associate Prof. Boonmark Sirinaovakul and faculty members.
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor with
Mr. G. S. Jalo and Dr. Dolly Samson,
Assistant President of Stamford
International University
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor delivering his speech
at Siam University
36
H.E. Ambassador
Chudi Okafor
with Prof. Fred
J. Miller, Assistant
President of
Siam University
and Nigerian
students of the
University
Okafor, Dr. Pornchai
Mongkhonvanit,
President of Siam University
with Prof. Fred J. Miller,
the Vice President
Okafor, Prof. Miller with
group of student of
Siam University
37
Investment in Thailand
THAILAND’S FACT SHEET
Geography
Land area: 513,120 sq km
Population: 67.2 million
Capital: Bangkok (Thailand’s largest city, with
over 11 million inhabitants)
Climate: Tropical monsoon (mid-May to
September); dry, cool northeast monsoon
(November to mid-March); southern isthmus
always hot and humid
Average temperature: 27˚C
People
Thai (75%), Chinese (11%), Malay (3.5%).
Others are Mon, Khmer, Phuan and Karen minorities.
National Language
Thai
Form of Government
Military Junta
Head of State: His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej
Prime Minister: General Prayut Chan-o-cha
(Interim)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Trade organisations: WTO, APEC, IOR-ARC,
ASEAN
Religion
Buddhism (89%), Islam (10%), Christianity (0.7%),
others (0.3%)
38
Statistics
GDP
GDP rank
GDP growth
GDP per capita
GDP by sector
Inflation (CPI)
Population below
poverty line
Gini coefficient
Labour force
Unemployment
Main industries
Ease-of-doingbusiness rank
External
Exports
Export goods
Main export
partners
US$1.054 trillion (PPP; 2015)
US$397.475 billion (Nominal; 2015 est.)
32nd (nominal) / 22nd (PPP) (IMF, 2015)
▼0.7% (2014)
US$15,319 (PPP; 2015)
US$5,771 (Nominal)
Agriculture (12.2%), Industry (43.3%),
Services (44.5%) (2015)
3.02% (Headline) (2012)
2.09% (Core) (2012)
13.15% (2011)
0.484 (income) (2011)
0.375 (expenditure) (2011)
39.5 million (2015)
0.9% (2014)
Automobiles and automotive parts (11%), financial services (9%), electric
appliances and components (8%), tourism (6%), cement, auto manufacturing,
heavy and light industries, appliances, computers and parts, furniture,
plastics, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,
tobacco
18th
US$229.1 billion (2013)
Textiles, footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewellery, automobiles,
computers and electrical appliances
China 11.7%
Japan 10.2%
United States 9.9%
Hong Kong 5.7%
Malaysia 5.4%
Indonesia 4.9%
Singapore 4.7%
Australia 4.3% (2012 est.)
39
Imports
Import goods
Main import
partners
US$223 billion (2013)
Capital and intermediate goods, raw materials, consumer goods, fuels
Japan 20.0%
China 14.9%
United Arab Emirates 6.3%
Malaysia 5.3%
United States 5.3% (2012 est.)
FDI stock
US$150,517 million (2011)
Gross external debt US$134,180 million (January 2013)
Public Finances
Public debt
Revenues
Expenses
Economic aid
Credit rating
Foreign reserves
43.3% of GDP (Q1/Fiscal Year 2013)
THB2,157.6 billion (Fiscal Year 2013)
THB2,402.5 billion (Fiscal Year 2013)
None
• Standard & Poor’s:
A- (Domestic)
BBB+ (Foreign)
A (T&C Assessment)
Outlook: Stable
• Moody’s:
Baa1
Outlook: Stable
• Fitch:
A- (Local Currency IDR)
BBB+ (Foreign Currency IDR)
A- (Country Ceiling)
Outlook: Stable
US$168.2 billion (18 July 2014)
Established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1962
• About 2,000 Nigerians are resident in Thailand apart from many that are in transit.
• Two-way trade between Thailand and Nigeria in 2012 totalled US$1.5 billion, with Thailand
exports making up $900 million.
Main data source: CIA World Fact Book
40
Okafor and wife with
H.E. Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha,
Prime Minister and wife,
at the ceremony marking
His Majesty the King’s
Coronation Day
Democratic Transition
in Thailand: The Political
Road Map
The government of interim Prime Minister,
H.E General Prayut Chan-o-cha and the National
Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which
assumed power following the ouster of the
elected Pheu Thai party government celebrated
its one year in office in May. The 2014 coup
ended several months of escalating political
tension triggered by the action of Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra to pass a blanket amnesty
bill and to allow the Senate more elected
members.
As part of the regimes’ political road map
to democratic elections, it adopted an interim
Constitution whose provisions helped to
consolidate and further deepen its hold on the
political power of the kingdom. The 250-strong
National Assembly was adopted by the regime
and charged with recommending sweeping
political and economic reforms. According to
the charter, NCPO is invested with sweeping
“national security” powers that allow them to
rule in tandem with the National Assembly to
be appointed by the King on the advice of the
military. Membership of the National Assembly
will be strictly controlled, with the key players
in Thailand’s recent turbulent politics barred by
a clause prohibiting anyone who held “a position
in any political party in the past three years”
from participation.
The charter stipulates that the National
Legislative Assembly (NLA) 220 members will
be selected by the NCPO. The government
would be made of a Prime Minister and a
35-member Cabinet to be nominated by the
NLA. The National Reform Council of 250
members will be nominated by the NCPO with
members representing each of the Kingdom’s
77 provinces and 173 others chosen because
of their knowledge and experience in one or
more fields of special interest. The Constitution
Drafting Committee is composed of 36 members
appointed by the chairman of the National
Reform Council, while the drafting committee’s
chairman will be named by the NCPO. The rest
of the committee will comprise of 20 members
nominated by the National Reform Council; five
by the NLA; five by the Cabinet and five by
the NCPO. Members of the NLA, the Cabinet
41
and the Constitution drafting committee must
not be political party members or political office
holders over the past three years.
While the military leaders of the last coup
government in 2006 swiftly distanced themselves
from day-to-day political administration and
engaged respected technical advisors to guide
the economy and other national policy priorities,
the NCPO leadership – under the banner of
a “road map for reform” that promised to lay the
groundwork for a return to electoral democracy
– maintained oversight control at every level of
authority. The Cabinet and National Assembly
have serving and retired military officials, and the
councils tasked with day-to-day guidance of the
reform process and convening public consultative
forums in different parts of the country.
The Constitutional Drafting Committee
referred its draft constitution to the National
Reform Council in April 2015. Several features of
the draft charter have drawn public attention and
raised debate. First impressions have fastened
on its remarkable length and prescriptive detail.
The draft makes several significant changes
to national electoral governance, including the
transition from a first-past-the-post electoral
system to a mixed-member, proportional system.
The drafters insist that the change will reduce
large-majority governments and enhance the
electoral fortunes of smaller parties. The draft
charter also provides for a non-elected Prime
Minister where circumstances require, and
alters the composition of the Senate to include
fewer elected members and more appointees
from designated sectors, including the armed
forces, retired senior bureaucracy, professional
associations, and academia whose people have
long preferred democracy to authoritarianism.
Similar to the procedure for the adoption
of the 2007 Constitution, the voting public will
be given an opportunity to approve or reject
the new charter through a national referendum.
The interim Prime minister has pledged not to
stay a day longer than he promised the nation.
42
Gems & Jewellery In Thailand
Historically, Thailand has been a gemstones
sourcing country. Although today most of
the raw materials are imported, the country
continues to maintain its reputation as a major
coloured gemstone manufacturing centre and
sourcing hub. For decades, Thailand has been
famed for its gemstones, notably deep red
rubies mined in Chanthaburi and blue sapphires
from Kanchanaburi. This activity gave rise to
a cutting and polishing industry to turn rough
stones into beautiful gems. In fact, the core
strength of Thailand’s gem and jewellery industry
always has been the expert skills of Thai gem
cutters and jewellery craftsmen. Transforming
rough stones into world-class gems using heat
treatment, cutting and polishing is a traditional
Thai strong point.
China and India now buy the most from
Thailand with the European Union, the United
States and Japan still significant markets,
while South American and Russia are steadily
emerging. Indeed, the Thai gems and jewellery
Somchai Phornchindarak, President of Thai
Gem & Jewelry Traders Association
Industries Center, under the Department of
Industrial Promotion of the Ministry of Industry;
Department of Export Promotion, under the
Ministry of Commerce; The Gem & Jewelry
Institute of Thailand (Public Organization);
Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Association; Thai
Diamond Manufacturers Association; Thai Gem
& Jewelry Manufacturers Association; and the
Gemopolis Industrial Estate.
Thailand’s overall gem and jewellery export
value reached US$8.5 billion by the end of
October 2014, while the import value dropped
from US$18.5 billion in 2013 to US$7.7 billion.
Fine jewellery was the most important export
product (accounting for 36.94% of Thailand’s
gem and jewellery export value), while unwrought
or semi-manufactured gold (accounting for the
second highest export value with a 32.45%
share of the overall gem and jewellery export)
maintained the top position regarding imports.
However, if unwrought or semi-manufactured gold
is excluded, Thailand’s gem and jewellery export
value grew by 4.64% from the previous year
(US$6,812.25 million in 2013). As for 2014, the
export value growth is expected to be positive
due to supportive factors from steady economic
recovery of Thailand’s trading partners, as well
as depreciation of the baht currency.
Furthermore, diamond polishing has played
an important role in the economy in terms of
employment and income generation. In 2013,
diamonds were Thailand’s third most important
industry has surfaced as a key international
player in production, processing and trading.
Even while undergoing rapid growth, this
manufacturing sector of Thailand still has plenty
of room for development.
Presently, the industry consists of three
segments:
• Gemstones heating, cutting and polishing
• Jewellery design, casting (modeling
smoothing and plating), setting, polishing, quality
control, and packaging
• Sales and marketing in domestic and
international markets. Most of the operators
in this segment are small and medium-sized
enterprise (SMEs).
The Thai gems and jewellery sector
is labour-intensive and relies on skilled
craftsmanship, beautiful designs and modern
technology to produce jewellery that is competitive
in international markets. Investors can leverage
Thailand’s unique advantages, including high
quality Thai artisanship in the areas of cutting
and polishing coloured stone and diamonds,
sufficient supply of skilled workers at low cost,
natural resources and government promotion.
Moreover, there is an opportunity for
foreign firms to utilise the country’s expertise
by investing in facilities and equipment with
the excellent support of the Thailand Board of
Investment (BOI). The BOI offers many attractive
non-tax and tax incentives to investors.
Other organisations supporting the
continued development of the gems and jewellery
industry in Thailand include: Gems and Jewelry Varieties of Thai gemstone
43
President of Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Association
flanked by models and guests
Impact Hall
Venue of Thai
Gems and
Jewelry Fair
44
export product in the gem and jewellery
category, accounting for 16.61% and
gaining a 12.24% increase in terms
of value. Polished diamonds were
the main product in this category
with 14.75% growth in 2013 from
the previous year. Thailand’s major
markets for diamond export included
Hong Kong, Belgium, India and
the United States, which grew by
17.90%, 0.38%, 97.14% and 10.63%
respectively. The export value of
polished diamonds in 2013 reached
US$1,675.37 million, increasing by
12.24% from 2012. During the same
period, its import value stood at
US$1,296.11 million.
Although in 2013, the global gem
and jewellery market showed slow
growth due to economic uncertainty in
many countries, Thailand still managed
to keep its export of upstream
products, as one of the world’s leading
manufacturing centres of high quality
polished diamonds after a number of
large international corporations have
based their operations in Thailand,
such as I Hennig & Co., Ltd., Pandora
and Su Raj Diamonds. Coloured stone
was the fourth most important export
product with a 7.51% share and 23.81%
growth compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, costume jewellery stayed
in fifth place with a 3.59% share
and with Liechtenstein, Germany and
France as its major markets.
Thailand’s gems and jewellery
industry is a major employer and
important contributor to the national
economy, with gems and jewellery
being among the country’s top
exports. Combining its renowned
production and design skills with
cutting-edge technology and
internationally recognised testing
facilities, Thailand has evolved into a
renowned regional centre for gems
and jewellery. Furthermore, apart from
tax benefits, investment facilitation,
and infrastructure provided by the Thai
government, bilateral and multilateral
free trade agreements. They also have
opportunities to expand their trading
and investment into Asia region, as
a result of Thailand’s status as a
member of the ASEAN Economic
Community (AEC). Additionally,
Thailand’s location also is perfect
for investors seeking to establish a
manufacturing or distribution centre
in Southeast Asia.
Relations with Myanmar
NIGERIA’S RELATIONS
WITH THE REPUBLIC
OF The UNION
OF MYANMAR
M
yanmar (formerly Burma) is
a Southeast Asian nation of
more than 100 ethnic groups. It is
the largest country in Southeast Asia
that is not an island, partly considered
as South Asian. It is bordered by
China on the north, Laos on the east,
Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh
on the west, and the India on
the northwest, with the Andaman Sea
to the south, and the Bay of Bengal
to the southwest.
On 4th January 1948, the nation
became an independent republic,
named the Union of Burma, with
Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President
and U Nu as its first Prime Minister.
Unlike most other former British
colonies and overseas territories,
Burma did not become a member
of the Commonwealth. A bicameral
parliament was formed, consisting
of a Chamber of Deputies and
a Chamber of Nationalities, and multiparty elections were held in 1951 1952, 1956 and 1960.
On 2nd March 1962, the military
led by General Ne Win took control
of Burma through a coup d’état and
the government was under direct or
indirect control by the military till
2011. On 10th May 2008, the Burmese
constitutional referendum of 2008
was created with the goal of creating
a discipline-flourishing democracy.
As part of the referendum process,
the name of the country was changed
from the Union of Myanmar to the
“Republic of the Union of Myanmar”,
and general elections were held
under the new constitution in 2010.
However, the military junta was
dissolved on 30th March 2011.
There has been a significant
development in Myanmar since March
2011, as former Prime Minister U Thein
Sein was inaugurated as the President
of Myanmar. As the head of a civilian
government, President U Thein Sein
proposed a wide-ranging reform
agenda, committing to move towards
a full democratic transition, installing
a free market economy and tackling
Burma’s entrenched ethnic conflicts.
These reforms include the
release of pro-democracy leader
45
Demonstration of rice farming in Myanmar
46
Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Laureate and
a human rights activist, from house
arrest, establishment of the National
Human Rights Commission, general
amnesty for more than 2,000 political
prisoners, institution of new labour laws
that allow labour unions and strikes,
relaxation of press censorship and
regulations of currency practices. As a
consequence of the reforms, Burma’s
won the bid for ASEAN chairmanship
in 2014. The international community
A Myanmar magnificent golden temple
has recognised the commitment of the
Myanmar Government to political and
economic reforms by easing sanctions
and actively engaging with Burma as
it addresses these challenges.
The much anticipated Burma’s
first democratic election in decade is
scheduled to take place on Sunday
8th November 2015. This will see voting
take place in all the constituencies of
the country excluding seats appointed by the Military, in order to appoint
members of assembly to seat in
the house of nationalities, the upper
house and house of representatives,
the lower house of the assembly of
the union. However, the opposition
(NLD) party’s participation is anchored
on President Thein Sein’s pledge
that the scheduled election would
be the most free, fair and inclusive
in decades. The NLD’s participation
would mark the first time in 25 years
that Aung San Suu Kyi and her
opposition party have taken part in
a nationwide poll.
Economic Overview
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar's President
Myanmar is one of the most H.E. U Thein Sein, Ambassador and wife at
endowed countries in Asia with National Day Reception in Nay Pyi Taw
abundant natural resources, large labour
force. Its primary exports are basically population living in rural areas. Home
raw materials, including natural gas, to 60 million inhabitants (46 million
timber, vegetables, rice and precious of working age), this Asian country
stones exported, mostly to Thailand, is in the heart of the world’s fastestIndia, China and Japan. Burma imports growing region with an early stage
textile material, petroleum products, of economic development that gives
fertilisers, machinery, construction it a “greenfield” advantage and an
material and foodstuffs from its opportunity to build a “fit for purpose”
trading partners. Myanmar is an economy to suit the modern world
agricultural economy with 70% of the if managed well, could conceivably
47
Ambassador and
a Union Minister
quadruple the size of its economy,
from $45 billion in 2010 to more than
$200 billion in 2030.
Nigeria - Myanmar
Relationship
Relationship between Nigeria
and Myanmar dates back to 1939 1945, when Nigerian soldiers under
the British Empire fought in the
World War II. Currently Nigeria is
concurrently accredited to Myanmar
from Thailand.
Nigeria and Myanmar share
many similarities including tropical
climate, multi-ethnic diversity, politics,
economy, South-South and Non-Aligned
membership. Both countries belong to
many regional groupings like the G-77
and South-South Cooperation as well
as the United Nations. While Nigeria
is pivotal to Africa, Myanmar within
the ASEAN is just opening up to the
world. Apart from similarity in both
countries’ economies, some Nigerians
still have collective and emotive
memories of the World War II which
Myanmar's
President and
Professor
Gambari
48
they often referred to as the “Burma
War” in which 63 Nigerians died and
were buried in Yangon.
Myanmar relied on the goodwill
of the Non-Aligned and the SouthSouth Cooperation members when
faced with harsh attitude of the
West. In 2007, it solicited Nigeria’s
support against the West’s call for
Human Rights Council Special Session
on Myanmar. Nigeria has a burden
of history and obligation towards
the country in view of the lives of
Nigerians lost and buried in the then
Burma during World War II. It has,
therefore, kept on looking onto Nigeria
for moral support in times of need.
It is in view of this that the Nigerian
Government donated the sum of
USD500,000.00 to the country during
the International Pledging Conference
on 25th May 2008 in Yangon to assist
the rehabilitation of the victims of
the devastating Cyclone Nargis.
Also, at a very critical period
in Myanmar’s turbulent history when
the United Nations Secretary-General
was invited to intervene and negotiate
an end to the political deadlock that
threatened to throw the country into
chaos, it was a Nigerian, Professor
Ibrahim Gambari, former Foreign
Minister and Envoy of the UN SecretaryGeneral to broker peace. His deft
diplomacy yielded the desired outcome
which led to the first ever multi-party
election in Myanmar and the release of
Aung San Suu Kyi from two decades
of house arrest and eventual election
into parliament.
With the dawn of democracy
and raft of reforms in Myanmar,
both countries are going through
multi-sectoral reforms. Clearly, Myanmar
is in a vantage position to add value
to Nigeria’s agriculture and solid
minerals sector, while Nigeria can
assist Myanmar with critical skills,
technical know-how in oil and gas
services and can lend our Technical
Aid Corps (TAC) professionals to help
rebuilding efforts.
Myanmar's
President
welcomes former
Foreign Minister,
Prof. Gambari.
49
Chief Minister of
Bago region, H.E.
U Nyan Win with
the Ambassador,
Prof. Gambari
and Dr. Indimi
The Visit of Nigeria’s Private Sector Delegation
to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Led by the Former United Nations
Under-Secretary-General,
Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR
From 17th- 20th February 2015
Ambassador,
Dr. Indimi and son
at the Ministry
of Agriculture,
Nay Pyi Taw
50
To further strengthen the
economic relations between Nigeria
and Myanmar, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola
Gambari, Nigeria’s former Permanent
Representative and UN Under-Secretary-
General led a High-level Nigerian private
sector delegation to Myanmar on 17th 20th February 2015. The visit aimed at
fostering a more robust private sector
relation between both nations. During
their visit, a courtesy call was made
to Myanmar’s President U Thein Sein,
in which he thanked Prof. Gambari
for his past efforts in ensuring Myanmar
transited from autocracy to democracy.
He urged the team to ensure that
Nigeria contribute to Myanmar’s
economic growth and development.
As part of the visit, the delegation
visited various Ministries, Departments
and Agencies of government amongst
which are Finance, National Planning,
Agriculture and Irrigation, Mines,
Dr. Muhammadu
Indimi and
Professor Ibrahim
Gambari
Industry and Energy respectively.
The team was briefed by their various
Ministers on areas in which Nigeria
could engage with Myanmar in terms
of private sector partnership and also
on government-to-government level
(G-to-G). Before departing Myanmar,
the team visited Chief Minister of
Bago region, H.E. U Nyan Win who
was a former Foreign Minister of
Myanmar and a key figure in Myanmar’s
transformation process.
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari commands
a huge level of goodwill in Myanmar;
he had been part of the UN delegation
that interceded in many of the internal
strife towards achieving democratisation
of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar. This visit is the 14th visit to
Myanmar by Prof. Gambari out of which
he has officially met with President
U Thein Sein on 12 consecutive
occasions both as a UN representative
and with the Private sector.
Geo-Strategic Study Tour of Group 4,
Course 23 of the National Defence College
of Nigeria (NDC), Visit to Myanmar
From 9th - 15th May 2015
Group photograph
of NDC Nigeria
and NDC Myanmar
51
The Defence
Attaché Group
Captain Shehu
Bakari
As part of the requirement of
the completion of the syndicates
Group 4 of 2014/15 course 23 from
the National Defence College of
Nigeria (NDC) were in Myanmar from
9th - 15th May 2015. The team which
was led by Commodore Aliyu Baba
Lawal was received by the Myanmar
Military Officials, in the company of
Embassy Officials and the Defence
Attaché from Malaysia, Group Captain
Shehu Bakari.
Head of delegation Commodore Aliyu
Baba Lawal receiving souvenir from
the Commandant of NDC Myanmar
Mr. R. U. Brown, Head
of Chancery in a group
photo with NDC Course
23 members
52
Group photograph
Out of the tour areas scheduled
for the team was the Htauk Kyant
War Cemetery which is the cemetery
where 67 Nigerians were buried from
West African Frontier Force during
the popular Burma War, the Defence
Services Medical Academy, the Bogyoke
market. Road tour from Yangon to
Nay Pyi Taw, the Gems Museum
and U-Pada-Sandi Pagoda. The team
also visited the National Defence
College where they were briefed
by Representatives from National
Defence College, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs,
and Ministry of National Planning
and Economic Development.
The team also had a road tour
to Kalaw in Shan State where the
Command and General Staff College
is located after which the team
proceeded to Nyaung Shwe and visited
Inle Lake, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda,
Inn Paw Khone, and the Nga Phe
Chaung Monastery. Finally the team
visited the Thilawa Industrial Zone
under constructions in partnership with
Japan and the Shwedagon Pagoda
in Yangon. And on 15th May 2015,
the team departed Myanmar.
Messrs R. U.
Brown, G. S. Jalo,
Course 23 leader
and Myanmar
hosts
53
Asean Economic Community
ASEAN
ECONOMIC
COMMUNITY
by Jayant Menon
T
he Association of Southeast Asian
Nations is the most successful
regional grouping in the developing
world. Its latest project is to establish
an ASEAN Economic Community by
31st December 2015, consisting of
three components: Economic, PoliticalSecurity, and Social Cultural. If ASEAN
were one economy, as the ASEAN
Economic Community intends it to be,
it would be the seventh-largest economy
in the world with a combined GDP of
$2.4 trillion in 2013. With over 600
million people, ASEAN’s potential
market is larger than the EU, and has
54
the world’s third largest workforce
(Hill and Menon 2012).
Born as a politico-security pact
in the aftermath of the Vietnam
War in 1967, it started with five
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam joined in 1984,
followed by Vietnam in 1995, Lao
PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and
finally Cambodia in 1999, bringing
the total to 10 countries. Apart from
expanding its membership, ASEAN
has evolved to embrace an ambitious
economic agenda. The following
three questions are fundamental to
the ASEAN Economic Community,
and are addressed in turn, below:
(i) What are the achievements to
date in terms of realising an ASEAN
Economic Community?; (ii) What are
the remaining challenges?; and (iii)
Is the deadline likely to be met, and
will it matter?
There have been a number of
noteworthy achievements by ASEAN
member states on the road to ASEAN
Economic Community 2015:
• Tariffs. This is a success story
of political commitment for ASEAN
member states. Following the
implementation of the ASEAN Free
Trade Area, common effective
preferential tariff rates are virtually
zero for ASEAN-6. More than 70%
of intra-ASEAN trade is conducted at
zero most-favoured nation tariff rates,
and less than 5% are subject to tariffs
above 10% (WTO 2011).
• Trade facilitation. The five
original member states of ASEAN
have live implementation of national
single windows already with planned
full roll-out to all significant ports and
airports by 2015.
• Investment liberalisation
and facilitation. The original ASEAN
member states are near achieving
international best practices while the
newer members have to catch-up.
• Services liberalisation. Mutual
recognition agreements or their
equivalent have been agreed for three
types of goods and seven professions,
and a “framework agreement” has
been concluded.
But challenges remain within
each of the ASEAN Economic
Community’s four pillars. The biggest
challenges relate to Pillar 1 – creating
a single market and production base.
This is despite the fact that the single
market concept is nowhere near as
ambitious as that in Europe. To hasten
progress in this pillar, ASEAN needs
to prioritise the following:
• Eliminating non-tariff barriers,
which are increasingly replacing tariffs
as protective measures;
• Strengthening trade facilitation
by ensuring live implementation of
national single windows in the newer
member countries to complete the
ASEAN Single Window;
• Further liberalising investment
and services trade by improving the
business climate and reducing the cost
of doing business, including prescribing
standard rules governing licensing and
other regulatory regimes; and
• Expanding the number of mutual
recognition agreements and ensuring
that they are implemented in a way
that leads to increase skilled labour
mobility.
Pillar 2 aims at creating a
highly competitive economic region.
In order to do this, competition
policy needs to be improved, and
intellectual property rights protection
strengthened. These are difficult
areas of reform, and questions
remain as to how effective a role a
regional approach can play compared
to national action or a multilateral
approach. Nevertheless, there are
potentially considerable benefits
regionally from the harmonisation of
standards and regulatory convergence,
particularly in developing a regional
market.
Pillar 3 involves creating a region
of equitable economic development.
55
H.E. Najib Tun Razak, Prime Minister
of Malaysia, Chairman of ASEAN
ASEAN is significantly more diverse
than Europe, in economic, political,
cultural, and linguistic terms. The huge
disparities in income and levels of
development that currently characterise
ASEAN are inconsistent with the
concept of an economic community,
however defined. Sub-regional
arrangements such as the initiative for
ASEAN integration have been proposed
to accelerate integration of the newer
members – Cambodia, Lao PDR,
Myanmar and Vietnam into ASEAN.
While sub-regional zones can
potentially help reduce development
gaps and support the growth of global
value chains, the reality is that neither
the Initiative for ASEAN Integration
nor other sub-regional initiatives will
have the resources, or the ability,
to fully address the development
divide. Unlike in Europe, the wealthier
countries of ASEAN are very small –
Singapore and Brunei – and cannot
56
finance the kind of transfers required
in order to make a dent in filling the
huge developmental gaps. While these
initiatives and support from bilateral
and multilateral donor agencies can
play a part, the solution must come
from within the countries themselves,
and through broader economic reforms
that promote trade and investment,
and thereby enable them to catch-up.
Indeed, this is what they have been
doing, and what has been happening.
Finally, Pillar 4 is about creating
a region that is fully integrated into
the global economy. The biggest
strides have been made in this pillar,
which has enabled “Factory ASEAN”
and global value chains to thrive. This
underlies the fact that liberalisation
thus far has been driven more by
market forces than by regional
agreements; and that the shift in
focus from unilateral liberalisation
to preferential liberalisation through
trade agreements has not led to
further external opening or domestic
reform, since these trade agreements
tend to be “weak” and “trade-light.”
ASEAN’s long-standing commitment
to openness is a defining trait, and
should continue if regionalism is to be
sustained, let alone prosper.
Each of the four pillars presents
a demanding set of challenges to be
met if the ASEAN Economic Community
is ever to be realised. Cutting across
all of them is a need for greater
engagement with the private sector
and the broader community. Although
the ASEAN Economic Community is
a government-led agenda, it cannot
succeed without fully engaging the
business sector, and the public at
large. Preparedness of the private
sector has been astonishingly low,
while awareness of the public equally
abysmal. This needs to change quickly
if the ASEAN Economic Community
is to make a difference.
Although ASEAN has come a
long way towards realising its goal,
the veracity of the challenges that
remain suggests that it will fall short
of the approaching deadline. Indeed,
ASEAN’s latest self-assessment from
March 2013, the ASEAN Economic
Community Scorecard, suggests that
the region had reached only 77.5%
of its targets between 2008 - March
2013. Recognising that the deadline
will be missed is important to ensure
that work continues past the 2015
deadline. Indeed, many of ASEAN’s
working groups, task forces and
the like seem almost preoccupied,
somewhat prematurely, with a post2015 agenda, confirming recognition
of this reality. Moreover, the Scorecard
reveals that the pace of reform seems
to have slowed down rather than
picked up, partly due to having to
move on to the more difficult parts of
the reform agenda. Even if the pace
were to pick up now, the real test for
the ASEAN Economic Community will
lie in the years beyond 2015.
Apart from hitting the remaining
targets, the bigger challenge of
implementing the accords legitimately
lies beyond the deadline. This is no easy
task when considering that domestic
laws, or even the Constitution, may
have to be amended to accommodate
ASEAN Economic Community accords.
The flexibility that characterises
ASEAN co-operation and institutional
arrangements, the so-called ASEAN
Way, could give member states
a pretext for non-compliance and
there are enforcement issues. Giving
commitments more teeth is the key
challenge to be overcome in realising
the ASEAN Economic Community if it
is to be more than a political exercise
in solidarity. We should therefore view
2015 as a milestone rather than a
hard target, and not a destination
but rather as part of a journey.
Finally, as recent disputes over
property rights in the South China
Sea have shown, progress on the
economic front cannot be divorced
from geopolitical issues facing some
ASEAN member countries. Indeed,
these events have reminded us that
ASEAN was born as, and in many
ways designed to be, a politicosecurity pact, and that the economic
agenda is a more recent experiment.
Given the interdependence between
economics and geopolitics, however,
the institution will have to weather
the challenges that the latter poses
on its cohesion if it is to progress
on the former. So far, it has avoided
getting involved in the geopolitics
without creating too much discontent
amongst its ranks. Just how long
it can continue down this path of
ignorance before risking collateral
damage to its structural integrity.
57
Personality Profile
Dr.
Akinwumi
Adesina
African Development Bank President
N
igeria’s former Agriculture Minister Dr. Akinwumi
Adesina was on 28th May 2015 in Abidjan
elected as the 8th President of ADB, the foremost
development bank in Africa. In an election
conducted by the Board within the Annual Meetings
of the African Development Bank Group, held in
Abidjan, Adesina was voted a day before the
closure of the bank’s 50th annual meeting. 54
African countries and 26 non-African countries,
who are also shareholders of the bank, took part
in vote. The appointment of Nigeria’s former
Agriculture Minister Akinwumi Adesina as the
next head of the African Development Bank
(AfDB) has generated many reactions from
Nigeria and also across Africa. Adesina was
among eight candidates who were vying for the
post. His two main rivals were Chad’s Finance
Minister and Cape Verdean Finance Minister.
His tenure as the former Minister of
Agriculture in Nigeria witnessed significant
agricultural reforms. In 2012 he introduced
an e-wallet system whereby 10 million mobile
phones were distributed to Nigerian farmers.
This was done to avoid middle-men, who have
always been a stumbling block when it comes to
receiving information on seedlings and fertiliser
vouchers. A large number of farmers registered
for this system which has made the lives of
many Nigerian farmers easier. This innovation
led Forbes Magazine to name Adesina African
of the year in 2013.
As the president of the bank, Adesina plans
to make the agricultural sector more attractive to
young people, create jobs for them and finally
improve the continent’s rural economies. He is
widely recognised as a Minister who stood out
in terms of excellence during the Jonathan regime.
Adesina succeeds Donald Kaberuka, whose
second term as President of the Bank ends in
August.
Dr. Adesina is a distinguished agricultural development expert with 24 years
of experience in developing and managing successful agricultural programmes
across Africa. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics
with First Class Honours from the University of Ife, Nigeria (1981), where he was
the first student to be awarded this distinction by the University. He obtained his
Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics in 1988 from Purdue University, USA, where
he won the Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis for his research work. On 1 st September,
Adesina will take over from Donald Kaberuka, a Rwandan national who has been
the president of the bank since 2005.
58
Stewardship
THE
AMBASSADOR’S
WIFE:
VIEWS FROM THE OTHER SIDE
OF DIPLOMATIC LIFE
by Maxmilian Wechsler
Joy E. Okafor from Nigeria, Astrid Amaya from Colombia and Ratanawadee H. Winter
from Denmark
59
Standing by
her man
60
W
hile the work of foreign Ambassadors serving in the Kingdom is widely
reported, the behind-the-scenes activities and achievements of their
spouses are sometimes overlooked. The reality is that many of these partners
not only help their husbands, or in some cases wives, with official duties but
are also involved in all kinds of extremely useful activities such as charities
and NGOs. Some even run businesses.
To find out more, The Big Chilli recently interviewed the wives of three
ambassadors currently serving in Thailand at the magnificent residence of
the Danish envoy.
Joy E. Okafor is the wife of His Excellency Chudi Okafor, Ambassador
of Nigeria to Thailand. H.E. Okafor was appointed Ambassador to Thailand
and Myanmar in November 2011.
“I was born in eastern part of Nigeria, where the Igbo ethnic group
lives,” said Mrs. Okafor. “I grew up and was schooled in Nigeria. My mother
was a businesswoman and my father a government official working for
the Ministry of Environment. When my husband was posted to the United
States, I went back to school there and obtained an associate’s degree
in early childhood education.
“I met my husband through his younger sister, who was my friend in
high school. We’ve been married for 30 years and have four kids, three boys Nigerian booth
and a girl. My daughter is here with us studying at The Regent’s school. at the Red Cross
Two of my boys are at school in the United States and one is working in Bazaar
Melbourne.
“My husband started his Ambassadorial term in July 2012. I came to
Thailand for the first time when my husband was posted as a diplomat at
the Nigerian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1990s. During that time,
we often vacationed in Hat Yai and Songkhla.
61
“As wife of an ambassador, my job is mainly to support him. I also
Madam Okafor
attend various social events with my husband, and host events and otherwise
2015 Chairperson take care of our residence in the Pattanakarn Road area of Bangkok. This
and sponsors
still allows me time to do humanitarian and charity work,” said Mrs. Okafor,
of the Diplomatic who recently was chairperson for the 48th Diplomatic Red Cross Bazaar held
Red Cross Bazaar at Siam Paragon. She also helps organise bazaars and charity events with
with other
a number of Embassies, with proceeds going to less privileged groups
officials
in Thailand.
“I am active in SHOM – Spouses of Heads of Missions in Bangkok.
We meet every month to keep updated. We organise extracurricular
activities like sightseeing in Bangkok and other areas we want to explore.
Our regular monthly meetings are held at ambassadors’ residences on
a rotational basis.
“I am a Christian, associated with Christ Church on Convent
Road. Once or twice a month I take care of children in Sunday school
activities.
62
“In the course of my husband’s duties, I accompany him on ceremonial
visits and various functions. When we have delegations from Nigeria,
I entertain the guests.
“Whenever he goes to another country on official business, I always
travel with him. We are husband and wife so we shouldn’t be separated. We
have visited quite a few countries where my husband has served in various
governmental positions. We were in Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago in the
Caribbean, in the Russian Federation, in the south of the United States, and
now Thailand. This is his first ambassadorial posting.
“When my husband visits other provinces in Thailand I go with him, and
when he is on an official visit I accompany him as well when appropriate.
I sometimes travel to other provinces without my husband.
“Every good husband asks for his wife’s advice, and mine is not
an exception. There are certain things he wants my input on, and we put
our heads together and reason, because as they say, two heads are better
than one.”
Mrs. Okafor is happy to be in Thailand. “I like Thai people. They are
very friendly, hospitable and I love their smiles. The climate is the same
as at home and the food is similar as well. We also like spicy food, but it
depends on the area you are coming from in Nigeria.
“What I don’t like in Bangkok is the traffic,” Mrs. Okafor said, prompting
smiles of agreement from the other women present. “The traffic is usually
very heavy and so is the noise, which can be stressful at times. But this is
the case in every big city, including the Nigeria Commercial city of Lagos.
I love a place that is quiet and serene, like here at the residence of the
Danish ambassador. Our residence is also very quiet.”
Mrs. Okafor said her most memorable experience in Thailand thus far,
was when a Nigerian woman, Dr. Uche Veronica Amazigo, received the 2012
Prince Mahidol Award in the field of public health from Her Royal Highness
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
“The reception following the award was really very special. The second
best day was in November 2013 when the former Nigerian First Lady, H. E.
Dame Patience Jonathan, visited Thailand to attend the ITU Telecom World
2013 event. She propagated a vision for youth. During her visit, she was
received at Government House by the then Thai Prime Minister.”
Asked to compare Thailand to other countries she has visited,
Mrs. Okafor said: “I won’t go into things like standard of living and so
on, but I will say that Thailand measures up well in certain areas such as
infrastructures and commercial development. I love the shops here. Also,
in terms of people to people relationships, Thai people are very welcoming.
63
Wife of the
Ambassador
They make you feel comfortable. The way we’ve been
received, especially by the Thai Foreign Ministry, is quite
encouraging. There’s always something going on and there
are a lot of activities geared towards women, which is
very good.
“Life in Bangkok is not dull. However, communication
is a little bit of a hindrance for those of us who can’t
speak Thai. For example, most of the shopping attendants
cannot communicate well in English. I have tried to
learn the Thai language but it is rather difficult for me,
especially the writing.
“As for my hobbies, I like strolling in the evenings
and listening to music, especially gospel music. It suits
my spirit.”
Culled from
The Big Chilli Magazine
64
Stewardship
th
THE 54 ANNIVERSARY
OF NIGERIA’S
INDEPENDENCE
C E L EBR A T I O N I N P I C T U RES
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor delivering
his address at the occasion
65
Ambassador with invited guests
H.E. Ambassador
Chudi Okafor and wife
66
67
68
69
70
71
Stewardship
NIGERIAN COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION, THAILAND:
THE DAWN OF
A NEW ERA
T
he Nigerian Community Association, Thailand Chapter (NCAT), just like
its counterpart in other parts of the world, is a non-profit organisation
that is drawn from the synergy of all Nigerians residents in Thailand to instill
national consciousness and civic responsibility that will enhance the peaceful
coexistence between Nigerians and the host country and by so doing promoting
the socio-economic advancement of Nigerians and the Nigerian nation.
It is also a medium that assists in facilitating the acquisition of relevant
technical skills in critical areas such as agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing,
capacity building which is in turn translated into the overall socio-economic
upliftment of the Nigerian Nation. The community is also a major avenue of
Comptroller
General of
Immigration,
Ambassador
and Wife at the
inauguration
72
promoting cultural exchange projects between Nigeria and the host community.
The uniqueness of NCAT was that it started with the formation of a Football
team in Thailand called the “Eagles Club”. It was the supporters union of
this football team that culminated into the Nigerian Community Association.
Since its formation in 1997, NCAT have come under the leaderships of:
(i) Mr. Sam Phillips Pioneer President - 2006
(ii) Sam Lloyd Nwafor2006 - 2008;
(iii)Sam Lloyd Nwafor2008 - 2011;
(iv)Gilbert N. Akudos 2011 - 2013;
(v) Comrade (Pastor) Victor Adeola 2015 - date.
The current leadership of NCAT under the Chairmanship of Mr. Victor
Adeolu, emerged on 7th March 2015 at the Mission’s premises where Nigerians
agreed to give their mandate of leadership to group of eight (8) persons
who emerged after a keenly contested election adjudged as the most free
and fair election in the History of the Community Association. At the end of
the exercise, the following results and winners emerged:
Mr. Adeola Victor Adefolarin
- President 238 votes;
Mr. Ani Moritz Emeka
- Vice President 190 votes;
Mr. Egbule Elvis Smart
- Secretary 204 votes;
Mr. Elder Evang. E. Ugoruchukwu - Treasurer 218 votes;
Mr. Michael Emeka Matthew
- Provost 192 votes;
Mr. Ezenwa Sidney Ahiwe
- Financial Sec 192 votes;
Mr. Faniran John O. A.
- P.R.O. 176 votes, and
Mr. Lucky Gift Odoemenam
- Welfare 124 votes
Comptroller
General with
President
of Nigerian
Community
Association
Mr. Victor Adeola
and the Head
of Chancery
Mr. R. U. Brown at
the inauguration
73
A cross section
of the Nigerian
Community
Prior to the elections, on 3rd November 2014 Mission formally dissolved
the previous Executive Committee of the NCAT after a lull in the activities
of the Association and directed that all stakeholders especially the leadership
of the various States Associations, Nigerian Pastors Association, Student
Association, Business Men/Women Group and Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation
(NIDO) to take over and oversee the nomination of an Electoral Committee
that will conduct elections into key offices of NCAT.
Madam Okafor
and Pasto Mary Owali
74
With the Mission’s guidance, this lofty task was consummated and it
led to the formation of a steering Committee team on 3rd November 2014,
where President Mr. Egbule Elvis Smart; Vice President Dr. Pastor Uche
Amagbulan; Secretary General Comrade Egwuonwu Isaac; and Assistant
Secretary General Mr. Theophilus N. Chukwu. On 6th November, the steering
Committee after careful scrutiny came up with an election committee team
with representations from the former EXCOs of NCAT, Religious Leaders,
Student, NIDO, and Women Association as indicated:
Pastor (Mrs.) Mary Frank Owali-Chairperson
Mr. Olusesi Micky Mukaila
-Vice Chairperson;
Mr. Egbule Elvis Smart
-Secretary General;
Mr. Egwuonwu Isaac
-Assistant Secretary General;
Pastor (Mrs.) Eva Akujuo
-Treasurer;
Pastor (Mrs.) Lizzy Ezirim
-Financial Secretary;
Mr. Theophilus N. Chukwu
-P.R.O I;
Mr. Chinedu Orji
-P.R.O II;
Mr. Benjamin Onuaoha
-Provost I; and
Mr. Fedinard Nduka
-Provost II.
Whereas, Prof. Emmanuel Okafor and other pastors, were made advisers
to the Committee.
After an assiduous and rigorous screening process of nominees on
st
21 March 2015 at the Beat Hotel, Bangkok, the newly elected officials of
the NCAT were inaugurated by H.E. the Nigerian Ambassador to Thailand
Chudi N. Okafor, OON in Company of the Comptroller General of the Nigerian
Immigration Services Mr. David Parradang, mni, OFR where the above listed
emerged as the New EXCOs’ of NCAT for a two-year term of office.
Executive
Members of
the Nigerian
Community
Association with
members
75
Stewardship
NIGERIAN PASTORS
ASSOCIATION
(NPAT),
THAILAND CHAPTER
O
n 27th December 2014, NPAT
H.E. Ambassador
was officially inaugurated by
Chudi Okafor
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor, OON.
with Excos of The occasion was graced by members
NPAT
of the Thai interdenominational
Christian group under the umbrella
of the Evangelical Fellowship
of Thailand (EFT), ably chaired by
Dr. Virachai Gowan.
The formation of NPAT has been
widely seen by the community members
as bridge between the existing Nigerian
ethnic associations and other groups
of Nigerians in Thailand which has
finally giving birth to the all-inclusive
Nigerian Community Association,
Thailand Chapter. The following are
the current EXCOs of NPAT:
✔ Rev Dr. Richard Okafor
Chairman;
✔ Pastor Adebayo Gbadebo
Vice Chairman;
✔ Rev. Dr. Callistus Uche
Amagbula
Secretary;
✔ Rev. Dr. Aaron Nwabueze
Vice Secretary;
✔ Rev. Dr. Chris Akujuo
Treasurer;
✔ Pastor Mrs. Mary Owali
Financial Secretary;
✔ Pastor Johnson Amosu
Public Relations Officer
H.E. Ambassador Chudi Okafor
with the president of Evangelical
Fellowship of Thailand Dr. Virachai
Gowan and wife with members of
the NPAT
76
Stewardship
NIGERIAN STUDENTS
ASSOCIATION
(NSAT),
THAILAND Chapter
Asst. Sec. Gen Babatunde James Odukoya;
✔ Director of Socials Nnnaemekaugorji Orji;
✔ Provost Onyeakanmma Joachim Ugochukwu;
✔ P.R.O. - Uchenna Olisakwe Chinedu;
✔ Treasurer - Esther Amosun; and
✔ Financial Secretary Peter Nwachukwu
NSAT has been able to record the following
achievements since its inception in 2013:
✔
Improvement in the level and quality of
graduates ranging from first degrees
to masters in various fields from
Thailand as a result of the constant
mentoring and guidance by both the
student body and the Mission;
✔ The student body made it a point of
duty to visit orphanages, especially
those housing Nigerian children
affected by either the death of their
Nigerian parent or as a result of divorce;
✔ NSAT was able to initiate discussions
with various universities on how best
to enhance the existing relationship
between such institutions and the
Nigerian students as well as reaching
out to prospective applicants on how
to secure appropriate admission based
on relevant courses available in the
various institutions; and
✔ NSAT member have also participated
in the 2014 workshop on peacekeeping and peacebuilding organised
by UNESCO in Turkey.
✔
Group photograph of Nigerian students in Thailand
igerian Students Association (NSAT),
Thailand Chapter is a students’ union body
bringing together Nigerian students in Thailand.
NSAT was founded in 2013, following structural
changes in the Nigerian Community Association,
Thailand Chapter (NCAT) and the intervention
of the Embassy which brought together student
councils from various Thai Universities under
a single umbrella. NSAT was formed as a result
of the challenges that Nigerian students were
faced with, which is not unusual especially
after leaving their areas of comfort into a new
society and way of life. The pioneer executives
of NSAT were inaugurated on 27th July 2013
by H.E. Ambassador Chudi N. Okafor, OON.
Elections into various executive offices of
nd
2 NSAT was held on 27th June 2015 at the
Embassy premises following the expiration of
the two-year tenureship of the pioneer EXCOs.
The elections which was adjudged free and fair
by the students and observers from the Nigerian
Community Association in Thailand produced the
following as its new leadership:
✔ President - Chris Buchi Okafor;
✔ Vice President Kenneth Kene Ogbuagu;
✔ Secretary General Desmond Emmanuel Ugwu;
N
77
Stewardship
BEST LOCAL STAFF
AWARD - 2014
Winner
M
r. Nikom Pokamart is the
Representational car driver of
the Embassy of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, Bangkok. He joined
the services of the Mission on 23rd
December 2010 as a Driver Grade 111.
He has through diligence, hard work
and commitment to duty rose through
the ranks to earn the trust of being
the official driver of His Excellency
as well as visiting dignitaries to
the Mission.
He has always exhibited loyalty
and attention to details that put
him ahead of his peers in his job
performance. He has been an asset
to the Mission. It is hoped that other
local staff will emulate his commitment
to duty and improve on their service
delivery.
78
Runner-up
Mrs. Laida Bergonia, Residence
Maid, was employed by the Mission
on 25th November 2000 from her
country, Philippines and has therefore
been in the service of the Embassy for
15 years. She is the longest serving
local staff of the Mission and has
diligently served all the Ambassadors
posted to this Mission since it was
established. She has also been
responsible for assisting in preparation
of tasty meals – both continental and
African to entertain numerous visitors
at the Residence.
Indeed, her expertise in the
preparation and serving of Nigerian
dishes to guests has made her
an asset at the Residence. Even Previous Winners of the Award
under tremendous pressure in the
course of her work, Mrs. Laida has
always composed herself with dignity
and smiles.
79
ig
er
TNCC
fC
ia Ch
amber O
er
ai
Th
-N
ce
หอการค้าไทย-ไนจีเรีย
om
m
THAI-NIGERIA CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
Phornchai Hopitakkul
AIMS AT:
President
• Promoting trade, mines & agriculture in collaboration with the Nigerian Investment
Promotion Commission (NIPC) and other relevant organisations etc.
• Serving the need of Thai businesses which is to enter the Nigerian market by arranging
seminars & workshops on the various aspects of trade, mines industry & agriculture between
Thailand & Nigeria.
• Assisting members in solving trade disputes that may arise in the cause of doing business.
• Encouraging trade and information of mutual benefit to both countries by organising
person-to-person contact and visits.
This has been achieved by working closely with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, Bangkok.
Ministry of Foreign Affair
CONTACT:
Anambra State
THAI-NIGERIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
50/16 Trok Petploy, Charoenkrung 39 Rd., Siphraya, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Tel: +66-2234-8497 Fax: +66-2266-5973
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.thainigeria.com
TRANSFORMING
THE POWER SECTOR
THROUGH
PRIVATISATION
Federal Ministry of Power
THIRD EDITION
5 Things you may not know
about Nigeria...
th
8
DEMOCRACY EDITION
rd
3
28%
Of Forbes’ 40
richest African
entrepreneurs
are from Nigeria
OUR STEWARDSHIP
33%
Of Nigeria’s
territory is
arable
Largest English
speaking nation
in the world
after India and
the USA
rd
3
Largest movie
industry after
Bollywood and
Hollywood
Most populous
country in the
world
EMBASSY OF NIGERIA, BANGKOK
Tel: +66-2711-3076-7 Fax: +66-2392-6398
Thailand:
Road map to
Democracy
Nigeria:
Africa’s Largest Democracy:
Hope and Promise
Myanmar:
ReformS, Transition
and Democracy

y not know ria... - Embassy of Nigeria in Bangkok

Transcription

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