Senegal, Dakar — Picture President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, 74, nonchalantly wandering into the efficiently-run Cybercentre, at the plush hotel and conference centre in the capital, Dakar, where some sessions of the current summit on the financing of the New Partnership for Africas Development, Nepad, are being held.
Surrounded by his jumpy and alert security detail, and trailed by the requisite entourage of ministers and government functionaries, it was the perfect photo opportunity for Wade.
The one-time veteran opposition leader fought for the presidency of his country for more than 20 years and finally got the top job in 2000. Wade fosters his image as a forward-looking African leader, and one of the new-style democrats on the continent.
He also loves engaging with journalists.
Amidst whirring cameras and popping flashes, President Wade sat down in front of a desktop computer and (rather self-consciously) begun to surf the net. Microphone in one hand and digital camera in the other, Ofeibea sidled into a seat beside him, encouraged by a beckoning smile.
It was a short chat by Wades standards. His reputation for launching into lively, long, intellectual discussions is legendary, on topics ranging from the architecture of Dakar - one of his pet projects - to the future of Africa, arguably his lifetime passion. Excerpts:
It has been said that you are a little upset that President Thabo Mbeki and President Olusegun Obasanjo have not turned up in Dakar for the Nepad summit. What is your view on the matter?
The minister of foreign affairs will answer that. [see interview with Minister Gadio]
Well then let me ask you about the attendance in general at the summit. Are you happy with how many people have turned up in Dakar?
Yes, sure, sure. I am very happy, because we have about 40 government representatives and 900 participants out of 1500 people who applied to participate. That means we have got a very good and large answer to our invitation.
We have the representatives of all sectors and now, if you look at the workshops, the rooms are full and they are discussing very hard. They are brainstorming in all sectors. That means things are going very, very well and I think that we will get good output from the discussions and from the conference.
So a high attendance and lots of business people from all over the world, Africa, the United States, Europe etc: but arent there still two noticeable absentees, President Mbeki and President Obasanjo?
[laughing and pointing to Foreign minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio] Hell answer that.
Okay President Wade, I see that I cant get a reply out of you on that! What are you going to say about Nepad to the G8 group of industrialized countries at their summit in Canada in June? What will be the main message from Senegal, from Africa, from Nepad?
The message will come from Africa, because now were not talking in terms of just Senegal or any other individual African country, we are talking in terms of region and in terms of Africa. We have had very good contacts with the G8. They understand very, very well Nepad and they agree with us on the objectives and the approach. So we hope that in our next meeting with the G8 in Canada, that we will be able to reach and elaborate a consensus on the programme of action.
What about the financing? Has September 11 made any difference to the economic prospects for Africa? We hear investors saying they are now more nervous, more cautious. They want even more assurances before they invest and that Africa isnt the ideal business climate for investment.
I think September 11 made some disturbances in the economy and finance, particularly in the United States, so that they are very careful about how they invest. But I think Africa has succeeded in restoring their confidence now, because we have set up cooperation - and I'm referring to Senegal here - with the United States and France to make a barrier against terrorism.
This is to secure capital. In terms of financing, the United States, the US businessmen, invest more in the United States than outside the United States. But now, our aim is to attract them to Africa. And I think we are succeeding now in the dialogue we have launched with the American private sector.
President Wade, do you think there is too much talk about 'terrorism these days, and is it distracting from African efforts to boost their economies, and from continental priorities such as Nepad? I dont only mean in the United States. Now, we see a rash of 'anti-terrorist wars have breaking out all over the world. People who were once plain rebels and enemies or dissidents seem now, wholesale, to be labelled terrorists.
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All countries, all democratic countries, are fighting terrorism. You can notice that we have set up a 'world front against terrorism. I think it operates very well.
But, with due respect, President Wade, surely Africa was fighting 'terrorism and terror or rebels or however you want to characterize them, long before September 11 came along. It has now become a priority for the US and the West, but surely Africa was there long before? What about the atrocities committed in Sierra Leone, and what about the violence in Algeria?
We fought against rebels, but there was not terrorism in Africa, in my appreciation. But now we are facing less rebels in Africa. We have succeeded in reaching peace in Sierra Leone. You know, the rebels dropped their arms and now there is peace.
In West Africa, we have just now a problem inside Liberia. But, in general, we can say that we have succeeded in solving, in restoring peace.
As for terrorism, this is a new form of violence born in Western countries. Our problem in Africa is to make a barrier to prevent the penetration of terrorism in Africa. The problem is a little different.
