International records / Foreign Relations of the United States

79. Editorial Note

world. Again, I hate to refer repeatedly to what existed in the past, but I think it’s accurate to say that never before in the history of our Nation have we shown any substantial interest in the continent of Africa. “Just a few weeks ago, I visited Nigeria, the greatest nation in Africa in many ways—economically, population, vigor, influence, growing influence. There are about 100 million people who live in Nigeria. It’s one of the present and future leaders of black Africa. I was the first American President, by the way, in the history of our country who had ever made an official visit to a …