Obasanjo Heads World Leaders Forum, IAC

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been appointed as the new chairman of Inter Action Council (IAC), a forum of world ex-presidents comprised of more than 30 former heads of state, who jointly develop proposals for action and submit them directly to national and international decision makers.

Obasanjo, by the appointment at the ongoing 32nd annual plenary meeting of world ex-presidents in Newport, United Kingdom recently has become the first African to be appointed the chairman.

Past chairmen of the forum are; Helmut Schmidt of Germany; Malcolm Fraser of Australia; Jean Chretien of Canada; and Franz Vranitzky of Australia. Obasanjo takes over from Vranitzky a former chancellor of Austria(1986-1996) before he later becomes chairman of world ex-presidents chairman on 1st July 2010 till this June 2015...

According to reports, Obasanjo, was a founding member of the IAC after he was
a military head of state in 1979, but later withdrawn from its activities during his democratic rule tenure as Nigeria’s President from 1999 and 2007.

In his acceptance speech, Obasanjo pledged to ensure that the Council’s objectives are actualized adding that youth engagement in governance in Africa and boosting on employment opportunities will remain his concerns.

“I am humbled to have been elected as co- chair of the Inter Action Council, a position that has been held by some of my great friends, who were also my mentors over the years. These include Helmut Schmidt of Germany and the Late Malcolm Fraser of Australia and also my longtime friend Jean Cheritien, the former prime minister of Canada.

“We will continue the council’s important work but also look at some issues that are of particular concern to me, like youth engagement and employment. Africa has many problems but also great opportunities and the Inter Action Council will look at both," he said.