Strengthening Our Bonds Of Friendship
W. Stuart Symington, the United States Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, presented his credentials to President Buhari on December 1, 2016. A career diplomat, Symington was formerly Ambassador to Rwanda and Ambassador to Djibouti. Recently, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Africa and African Security Affairs and, before that, U.S. Special Representative for the Central African Republic.

In the short period of four months in Nigeria, Ambassador Symington has reached out to all levels of government and Nigerian society, strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two countries in his very unique style. He has traveled widely and consistently across the country’s geo-political zones — meeting, listening and talking with the Nigerian people about their dreams and aspirations.
The Working Level Meeting of the United States-Nigeria Bi-National Commission held in December 2016 reaffirmed the depth of cooperation between the two countries. At that forum, Ambassador Symington said, “we agree with Nigeria on the priorities of the Buhari Administration. We are focused on the need to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency, the fight against corruption, and the importance of successfully diversifying the Nigerian economy. The United States Government supports progress on all of these priorities, with a strong bi-partisan consensus that has been sustained over many Administrations. We will continue to advance this effort, working with Nigerians of all walks of life, in all parts of the country. We will do so because Nigeria’s success and prosperity matters to its people, to the Continent, and to the United States and the rest of the World.”

Ambassador Symington has so far visited 18 states, including Lagos, Ogun, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Anambra, Enugu, Benue, Bauchi, Delta, Plateau, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, and Edo. Wherever he speaks, he reminds the audience that, “What really matters is for you to believe in yourselves as Nigerians and work together as a team to make your country great. The United States is not here to dictate to you, but to partner with you in several mutually beneficial areas, including security cooperation, governance and democracy, as well as economic growth and development.”
He has also interacted extensively with civil society, non-governmental organizations, private sector leaders, and students. At these meetings, the Ambassador has inspired Nigerians with President Kennedy’s iconic quote “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” He encourages Nigerians, young and old, men and women, “to be hopeful, and to do great things.”
Other quotes from the Ambassador’s remarks at different engagements are equally instructive and inspiring:
At the Screening of “Code Girl”, an American Film Showcase documentary which featured Team Charis, the Nigerian winners of the 2015 Technovation Challenge.
“The Nigerian team’s achievement at Technovation is a clear example of what young Nigerians can accomplish with proper mentoring, determination and team spirit.”
At the Justice and Security Dialogue in Plateau State — a project funded through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
“Peace is a path that has to be traveled constantly and maintained constantly, and used constantly for the good of the people… it’s a joy for me to see people who are not just dedicated to talking about reconciliation, but to see people who are traveling the road to make it possible, to make it last.”
Remarks at launch of solar energy partnership between Lumos and MTN — project supported by Power Africa
“This very simple solution in a clinic means the difference between life and death, in the home it means the difference between learning and literally having the lamp of learning go out for the night, and in a store, it means the difference between being able to pay your bills the next day, or having to do something else”
At a grant signing ceremony for preservation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage — through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation
“I don’t think I’ve had a single conversation in which people haven’t said, ‘I love the people of Nigeria,’ and when I asked what is it about the people of Nigeria that you love, literally every person that I spoke to said, ‘I love our cultural diversity’.”
At World AIDS Day 2016
“We can spend tens of billions of dollars around the world and in Nigeria, but if you don’t strengthen your own health system at home and in the office and around the country, if you don’t invest your lives and your love, who else will do it for you? No one can do it for you”

