Former Nigerian president Olus?gun ?basanj? was among the high-profile visitors to the Eco Forum Global Annual Conference, held in Guiyang from July 8 to 10.

Mr ?basanj? spoke highly of China and Guizhou’s efforts to protect the environment and said that green development would help drive the economy. He added that the world should cooperate to create a sustainable future.

Olus?gun ?basanj? was a career soldier before serving twice as head of state: once as a military ruler from 13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979, and as a democratically-elected president from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. From July 2004 to January 2006, Obasanjo also served as Chairperson of the African Union. He has written 17 books and made several televised documentaries. In 1987, Obasanjo took part in China’s first international environmental protection program – the Panda Program of World Wide Fund for Nature. He also served as the president of the Biodiversity Working Group in the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development for 14 years.

Edited by Jacob Hooson