Seek Opportunities For Youth Devt In Nigeria, Buhari Tells Envoys

• Ambassadors

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the international community and investors to take advantage of the country’s diversity in human and natural resources for investment, saying youth development, integration and employment remain priority for his administration.

The president stated this when he received the Letters of Credence of the Ambassadors of Belgium, Mauritania, Austria and Norway at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

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According to him, Nigeria is ready to pursue broader dialogue, as well as enhance cooperation and collaboration on the basis of constructive mutual respect and a shared vision for our future.

He added: “As you may know, Nigeria is an ethnic and culturally diverse society with various opportunities which we seek to creatively utilise for the benefit of our people. We are also a country with a huge population which is predominantly youthful.

“These pose peculiar new challenges of their own. As Nigeria relates with your countries, it is our expectation that we should leverage on the advantages that can yield positive results in youth development in our country.’’

The Ambassadors who presented their Letters of Credence to the President are: Mr Daniel Bertrand, Ambassador of Belgium, Mr Amedi Camara, Ambassador of Mauritania, Mr Thomas Schlesinger, Ambassador of Austria and Mr Knut Eiliv Lein, Ambassador of Norway.

The Nigerian leader opined that Nigeria enjoyed “very good bilateral relations’’ with the respective countries and had collaborated at the multilateral level to achieve targets set by several international conventions and treaties.

“Allow me to offer you my sincere congratulations as you commence your diplomatic duties as defined by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

“As we celebrate its 60th anniversary, next year, it is my hope that you will carry out your respective mandates to improve existing cordial relations between our countries consistent with the provisions of this time-honoured convention,’’ he said.

The president told the ambassadors that there was a need to enhance the existing cordial relations in the interest of citizens and countries.

He said: “Nigeria shares common problems of insecurity, impact of climate change and socio-economic challenges common among nations.

“Notwithstanding these challenges, efforts are being made to sustain our position to overcome these difficulties. I invite you to partner with us to address these challenges.

“As a global family, we are impacted by several other common challenges like terrorism, insurgency, climate change, population explosion, human trafficking, corruption, poverty, and now the global health pandemic which COVID-19 represents considering its mayhem across the world.’’

The president said the challenges underscore the need for the international community to make concerted efforts at resolving them in the interest of common humanity.

“The survival of humanity depends on our efforts to enhance our cooperation to attain the goals of global peace and economic prosperity.’’

In his remark, on behalf of others, Ambassador of Belgium thanked the President for making out time to receive the Letters of Credence in spite of the peculiar situation created by the COVID-19.

He assured that all the ambassadors would make the most of the opportunity to enhance relations in economics, commerce and socio-cultural issues.

“Your Excellency, we are at your disposal to strengthen and narrow the ties, not only in economic and commercial issues, but also in cultural terms,’’ he added.