Bob Dewar

Not oil but food!

It is not so well known how growing and processing food in Nigeria is on the up. Everyone thinks of Nigeria in recent decades as dependent only on oil and gas. So it was great to hear of the visit of directors of Olam Nigeria Ltd based in Commonwealth partner country Singapore. Olam was the biggest non-oil exporter from Nigeria in 2007 (over $133m). Its products have traditionally been cocoa, sesame seed and cotton. But there has been more recent news of plans to invest in a sugar refinery and wheat milling.  The company's investment so far has shown how they see long term opportunities here. They have helped rural employment and farmers' profits. Positive stuff. Making a difference for small holder farmers. Let's hope for more.

Posted at 13:04 28 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

The really hot issue for Africa

The poster launched in London by David and Ed Miliband showing what might happen to our blue planet if we don't keep climate change to 2 degrees C or less is dramatic. It is a really important message for Africa. Ordinary citizens have so many problems- just getting enough food to eat and getting kids into some sort of school with a decent teacher is a tough job. How then can they look up and understand the bigger picture- which is that climate change will change their children's lives dramatically for ever unless everyone, every government, every one with influence, takes action to get a balanced, brave, successful deal at Copenhagen? 
 
I was looking at expert analysis the other day of what 4 degrees increase might mean for the great rain forests of Africa which come only after South American ones in importance for world weather systems. Simply put, it would cause an ecological catastrophe with massive loss of forest cover, bringing more extreme weather and turning  carbon sinks into a significant carbon source. People in marginal lands of Africa are already learning about desertification. Will people living in the remaining great forests of Africa today only know savannah tomorrow, if they are lucky?

Posted at 15:37 27 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[1]

Planting the seeds of hope

I always believed small was beautiful from when I first read Shumaker's book all those years ago. Well, a few small but significant initiatives show what can be done in Nigeria on climate change. Firstly a training programme undertaken by a range of Nigerian civil socity organisation under the umbrella Nigerian CAN network (Climate Action Network) has meant they have been able to lobby for an equitable climate change deal and  to influence policy makers. Secondly a weather station in the extreme East of Nigeria (Taraba State) is now providing climate change data on the internet which can feed into climate modelling. Both funded by Britain, both seeds for the future.

Posted at 14:58 26 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Visit to NDLEA and NAPTIP with Mr Alan Campbell, M.P

Accompanied our Minister for Crime Reduction in meetings with the Government and the anti-drugs agency NDLEA and the anti- people trafficking agency NAPTIP. These agencies are doing a good job. But cocaine trafficking from South America using West Africa for a transit route is a real and growing threat. Half the cocaine entering the UK comes that way. And no 'transit' countries can avoid corrosion to their own societies. Drugs destroy lives. Drugs finance crime and terrorism. New laboratories have been found in Guinea.

Met Commissioners of ECOWAS too and it is good that there is an action plan on the table to enhance co-operation up and down the coast. We've all got to help- and also help individual countries up their game. This really is urgent. Every country must wake up and make itself hostile to drugs trafficking. Finally we visited a shelter for some young women who had been rescued from being trafficked. Very moving to meet them. They are making lovely hats and jewellry to make money and start a new life. 

Posted at 13:50 15 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[1]

Good governance and transparency

Met a new committee of the House of Representatives who are focusing on good governance including making sure resolutions and decisions in the House of Reps are implemented. They are  looking at issues of transparent procurement and fiscal discipline too.  They want to arrange a summit on good governance. I said this was an important theme- in fact perhaps the most important for all countries. But governance standards had to be 'owned' by everyone if they wanted things to happen, by all branches of the state (legislature, judiciary, executive) and by the private sector and civil society. It's all about how people behave. 

Posted at 12:54 14 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Why we need an Arms Trade Treaty

Travelling round Nigeria only underlines the need for this country to achieve genuine peaceful development for its people and move away from conflict and violence, which can flare up. Conflict and violence is fuelled in many parts of the world by arms. Arms need to be controlled at national and international level. That's why we need progress towards an Arms Trade Treaty and we hope Nigeria will play its part at this week's discussion in New York to bring such progress.

National and regional arms export control need to be really effective. Unregulated trade in arms needs to be stopped. A timetable is needed toward such a Treaty. Ordinary people with ordinary lives need that. It's tough enough in Nigeria for many of its poorer people just to get by and get their kids into school without worrying about insecurity as well. 

Posted at 17:43 07 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[2]