Nigeria and the United States yesterday signed a pact to fight corruption and also see to the conduct of free and fair elections in 2011. Visiting US Under-Secretary of State for Global Affairs Maria Otero said collaboration in these areas would help the country defeat corruption at all levels - ministries, departments and agencies. She spoke after the US and Nigeria rounded off a two-day consultation under the US-Nigeria Bi-national Commission Agreement that was signed last month in Washington, D.C. The Solicitor General of the Federation who is also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Ahmed Yola signed for Nigeria while Otero signed for the US. A joint statement issued yesterday said both countries are committed to building the capacity of anti-crime institutions as well as their agents and personnel in the country. These include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the police and the justice ministry. The role of US would be in the area of training and provision of technical assistance. The meetings of the last two days effectively launched the working group meeting on good governance, transparency and integrity which recognized the need to fight corruption as a way of promoting growth in the economy. "The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was committed to combating corruption and all forms of economic crimes in Nigeria and to collaborate with the United States to advance investigations and prosecutions of suspects. "To this end, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has requested technical assistance and training for investigators and prosecutors of corruption and other economic crime cases," the communiqué said. "We are committed to partnering on combating corruption and ending the culture of impunity," Otero said in a separate statement issued by the US embassy in Abuja on the joint communiqué. "We will strengthen the capacity of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, including EFCC. To support Nigeria’s anti-war efforts, we will build on existing training and assistance. "The issue of corruption in Nigeria has been present for a long time," Otero said, responding to a reporter’s question. Also responding to a reporter’s observation that the country’s rating had improved in recent years going by reports of Transparent International (TI), Otero said this may be so but that TI had consistently been rating the country as one of the most corrupt in the world. After being questioned by a reporter over assurances and guarantee of outcomes of the activities of the working group, Otero said the participation of high-level Nigerian officials including the solicitor general, foreign minister and the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan showed that her mission and the activities of the commission are serious undertakings. Another key element involved the organization of a free and fair election in 2011 where the US will be involved in the provision of logistics including technical assistance and training of security agencies and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and critical training of personnel. "This commission represents the valued and strategic relationship between our countries," the US statement said. "I am confident that the work we did together in today’s working group sessions will strengthen and deepen the partnership between our two nations. In our discussion today we addressed a range of issues to strengthen the democractic institutions necessary to hold free, fair, and transparent elections in 2011 and combat corruption plaguing Nigeria’s progress,” it added. The working group programme received the inputs of the Nigerian civil society, private sector and state officials. Nigeria and the US plan to meet in Washington, DC, in the months to come to review the progress made towards the country's preparation for the elections. Another meeting is scheduled for June 10-11 in Washington, DC to launch another working group on energy and investment. Nigeria and US had in April signed a Bi-national Commission Agreement. One of the focal points of the agreement is the ongoing electoral reform and next year’s general election. At the signing ceremony, both countries had resolved to set up four working groups to address specific bilateral issues. These include: Good Governance, Transparency, and Integrity; Energy and Investment; Food Security and Agriculture; Niger Delta and Regional Security Cooperation. The two countries also resolved that the Good Governance, Transparency, and Integrity working groups would be launched first because of the preparations and reforms necessary to ensure that 2011 elections are free, fair, and transparent. Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, in a speech delivered at the African Diplomatic Corp's Celebration of Africa Day at Ritz Carlton Hotel, Washington DC. claimed that Nigeria has not yet implemented the necessary reforms to hold good elections next year. Carson argued that some countries on the continent are drifting back towards authoritarianism. He said that Ghana, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Benin Republic have done well with regard to democracy. Source: Thisdayonline.com