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Jonathan asks African leaders to improve economic relations

By on July 31, 2013

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday called on African leaders to take steps towards fulfilling their often declared commitment to improving trade and economic relations among countries on the continent.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, quoted Jonathan as saying this while receiving the outgoing Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President said there was an urgent need for African leaders to move beyond declarations of support for greater intra-African trade and act in unison to overcome obstacles, which currently hinder economic relations between the nations and people of the continent.

The statement read, “President Jonathan said that with the right political will and commitment, African leaders could speedily overcome all obstacles to intra-African trade such as poor transportation links and achieve a significant boost in continental economic interaction for the benefit of their countries and peoples.

“The President pledged that Nigeria would continue to spearhead and support efforts aimed at promoting regional and continental economic integration, saying that existing cordial political relations between most African countries would be further enhanced by greater trade and economic relations among them.

“He commended Mrs. Ashipala-Musavyi for working diligently to boost bilateral relations between Nigeria and Namibia during her tenure as High Commissioner in Abuja, and wished her success in her new post at the Namibian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Jonathan was also said to have commended Ghana’s outgoing High Commissioner to Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Kamara, whom he also received at the Presidential Villa on Monday.

Noting that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Ghana had been further strengthened in several areas during Kamara’s four-year tenure, the President expressed the hope that the outgoing envoy’s successor would continue his good work.

 

 

 

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