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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived on Friday in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, for a two-day visit that includes meetings with government, NGO and UN officials.
Annan, who arrived in Nigeria from Sudan, was received in the presidential wing of the Abuja airport by the Minister of the Federal Capital, Abba Gana, and other senior state officials. He later held talks with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dubem Onyia. According to a programme of activities released by the Nigerian authorities, he was also due to meet President Olusegun Obasanjo, other top state officials, representatives of UN agencies and leaders of civil society groups.
This is Annan's third visit to Nigeria in four years. A year ago he was in Abuja for an international HIV/AIDS summit, where he unveiled his plan for a global fund to combat the pandemic and other infectious diseases.
In 1998, the Secretary-General was in Africa’s most populous country for four days following the death of former de facto ruler Gen Sani Abacha. He helped broker political compromises that paved the way for Nigeria’s return to democracy after more than 15 years of military rule.
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