Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday applauded the long history of economic relationship between his country and France on the one hand, and Nigeria and Switzerland on the other.
At separate bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America, the Nigerian leader welcomed more investment and economic partnerships.
“Nigeria is a fertile ground for handsome return on investments.
“Apart from your country’s close relationship with us, you have the same with most of our neighbours.
“We seek more collaboration, particularly in agriculture, mining and security,” President Buhari told Francois Hollande of France.
A spokesman for President Buhari, Femi Adesina, said that the President further briefed his French counterpart on the Presidential Committee on the North East, which he described as a one-stop mechanism on development partnership for a zone that had been ravaged in the over six years of insurgency by Boko Haram insurgents, and which needed urgent rebuilding.
Responding, President Hollande pledged that France would not only fully engage with Nigeria on different fronts, but would also provide humanitarian assistance in the North East.
“We will invest in Nigeria, we believe in her,” the French President said.
At another meeting with President Johann Schneider-Ammann of Switzerland, President Buhari sought his counterpart’s cooperation on speedy repatriation of Nigeria’s money stashed in that country, stressing that Nigeria needed such resources, particularly for infrastructure.
With the two countries having agreed on projects to which the returned funds would be deployed, President Schneider-Ammann promised quick action, as soon as the draft agreement was signed.
He also pledged consolidation of mutual trade relationships, infrastructural development as well as support in training and equipping of the Nigerian military.
Source: Channels Television
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