President Bola Tinubu met with three new ambassadors to Nigeria on Thursday and urged them to work together to overcome the continent’s challenges.
In a meeting with the Ambassador of Ethiopia, Mr. Awall Wagris Mohammed, Tinubu said that African countries need to “walk the talk” on their pledges and agreements if they want to overcome economic and security challenges.
“Africans need to work for the progress of Africa,” he said. “We should be able to resolve our internal problems, collectively. It requires a great commitment, but we must do that.”
Tinubu also commended the Ambassador of Cuba, Mrs. Miriam Morales Palmero, for her country’s advances in medical sciences and accessible healthcare. He said that Nigeria and Cuba could collaborate more in science and technology to improve the lives of their citizens.
In a meeting with the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, Tinubu directed that issues affecting relations with the Emirates Airline and the issuance of visas to Nigerians should be “immediately” resolved. He said that he was prepared to “personally” intervene if necessary.
Al-Shamsi said that he already saw himself as a “Nigerian” and that he was committed to improving relations between the two countries.
Tinubu’s meetings with the three new ambassadors come as Nigeria faces a number of challenges, including economic recession, insecurity, and political instability. His calls for African countries to work together and to look inward for solutions are likely to be welcomed by many on the continent.
In addition to his meetings with the ambassadors, Tinubu also held a cabinet meeting on Thursday. The meeting focused on a number of issues, including the economy, security, and infrastructure.
Tinubu is expected to continue to meet with foreign diplomats and to hold cabinet meetings in the coming weeks. He is also expected to travel to other countries in Africa and around the world to promote Nigeria’s interests.
