Press Release

NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OBASANJO RECEIVES OFID DIRECTOR-GENERAL AL-HERBISH

70/2006 July 18, 2006, Abuja, Nigeria
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The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, HE Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, today received in audience the Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Mr. Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, at State House, Abuja, the federal Nigerian capital. Mr. Al-Herbish, at the head of a four-member OFID delegation, is on his first official visit to Nigeria where, on the sidelines of the visit, he is attending the Leon H. Sullivan VII Summit, holding July 17-19 in Abuja.

President Obasanjo welcomed Mr. Al-Herbish who, he observed, “had brought a fresh direction to the OPEC Fund,” and under whose leadership “the Fund, from all indications, was doing very well, indeed.” The President said OFID and IFAD (one of several institutions OPEC Member States helped establish) have played a major role, over the years, in development cooperation; but that the world had not paid sufficient recognition to this role. The President commended the noble work of OFID and said he hoped that those who benefited from this work would speak out, “so that the institution would be better known.”

The activities of OFID, said the President, “demonstrated the deeply humanitarian side of OPEC Member Nations.” He encouraged the Fund to continue to work to the greater benefit of humankind, including, where OFID mandate allows, the citizens of Member Countries, “especially in the areas of capacity building, education, social services and health care, including HIV/AIDS.” President Obasanjo assured Mr. Al-Herbish that Nigeria would continue to support OFID, which would be welcome to hold workshops and seminars in Nigerian cities. The President requested OFID to do more for needy African countries, including Nigeria’s neighbors. He would like to see OFID “more active” in these countries.

Mr. Al-Herbish thanked the President for the unwavering support of Nigeria to OFID. He presented greetings from the governing and policy-making bodies of OFID, particularly from the Chairmen of the Ministerial Council and the Governing Board. Al-Herbish briefed the President and senior State House officials on the general operations of OFID, laying emphasis on the Fund’s work in Africa. He recounted the historical development of OFID from a temporary financial account in 1976, to its present-day status as a fully-fledged development finance institution, working to battle poverty and enhance cooperation between Member Countries and other developing countries. He mentioned that the Fund was engaged in 120 countries; had no ideology; and journeyed across the world to deliver assistance where invited and where truly needed. Al-Herbish complemented “progressive social and economic development in Nigeria and the beautiful city of Abuja.”

At the audience with the President were HE the Honorable Minister of State for Finance, Engr. Elias N. Mbam; HE the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Edmund M. Daokoru; HE the Governor for Nigeria at OFID, Chief Olusegun O. O. Ogunkua; the Alternate Governor, Professor Sylvester Monye; and several other senior State House officials, including the Chief of Staff. The delegation of Mr. Al-Herbish to Nigeria included Mr. Mu’azu Abdul-Malik, Adviser to the Director-General; Mr. Ibrahim Alturki, Director, Africa Region; and Mr. Sam Ifeagwu, Senior Officer, Department of Information.