By Raphael Oni
President Muhammadu Buhari called on the international community to collectively and frontally confront the COVID-19 pandemic and other common challenges affecting the globe. As he believes that collective effort is the solution to world challenges.
He made the call in the State House in Abuja on Thursday as he receives Letter of Credence from His Excellency Ihab Moustafa Awad Moustafa, Ambassador of Egypt to Nigeria, His Excellency Faisal Ebraheem Alajrafi Alghamdi, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria and His Excellency Alejandro Miguel Francisco Herrero, Ambassador of Argentina to Nigeria.
In the words of the President, “We have common challenges that impact so much on our countries, which include Terrorism, Insurgency, Climate Change, Population Explosion, Human Trafficking, Corruption, Poverty, and Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
“On top of all these, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has come with different strains that pose additional challenge to the initial outbreak. These challenges underscore the need for the international community to work even more in concert to collectively identify appropriate ways and means to globally resolve these challenges.”
President Buhari also expressed his admiration for the cooperation that Nigeria and the other three countries have enjoyed in other fora. According to him, “All three countries represented here enjoy excellent multilateral relations with us. In addition to the United Nations, the largest multilateral umbrella platform, we are also members of the G-77 and the South-South Cooperation which Nigeria, Argentina, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have used to advance our collective interests and causes. Nigeria is proud to be associated with these platforms, for they have enabled us to work closely together with the Principal Representatives of these countries.”
The President reiterated to the Ambassadors the readiness of Nigeria “to work with you all to achieve global peace, food security and sustainable environment.” While wishing the envoys a successful tenure, he enjoined them to escalate the current level of relations. Buhari said,
“On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I urge you, in the course of your duties in Nigeria, to build on the successes of your predecessors and enhance the existing fraternal relations between our countries,”.
Speaking earlier on behalf of others, Ambassador Ihab Moustafa of Egypt expressed appreciation to the President for receiving them and accepting their letters of credence.
He assured of their commitment to work with the government to further enhance and strengthen their countries’ friendship and partnership with the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He said, “we will count on your kind support and guidance to this end.”
Present at the occasion are, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bello Husseini Kazaure, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other top government functionaries.
