Razaq Bamidele
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that a peaceful Libya would help the overall development of Africa a great deal.
President Buhari made the remark, on Thursday, in Abuja, when receiving Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Libya, Ayad Musbah Faraj Attayary, at the State House, where he said that early restoration of peace and stability in the country would greatly minimise the current state of insecurity experienced in some parts of Africa.
In the words of the president, “Our efforts should be directed towards the restoration of peace.
“It is expedient that peace and stability return to Libya as soon as possible; peace in Libya will translate to economic prosperity and development as well as a more secure Africa,” he said in a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.
President Buhari, according to the statement, also told the Ambassador that, as a strong member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a peaceful Libya would also help stabilise the oil industry.
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He expressed the belief that with more commitment from all parties in the conflict and other well-meaning individuals, the North African country “will soon be back as it was so that it can resume its roles in Africa.”
The Ambassador, who conveyed the greetings of the Prime Minister of Libya said his country was counting on Nigeria to use its position in Africa to help his country return to normalcy, praising President Buhari for consolidating Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa through its intervention activities.
Also receiving Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Venezuela to Nigeria, Davies Nieves Velasquez, President Buhari congratulated President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela on his commitment to democracy and for leadership.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation to President Buhari for his show of support and solidarity to the Government of Venezuela at this time and expressed the need to take bilateral cooperation between the two countries to the next level.
He expressed belief that the ties could be stronger especially in the fields of education and health. He extended the invitation of his President to President Buhari to visit Venezuela.
In his remarks while presenting his Letters of Credence to the President, the Ambassador of Myanmar to Nigeria, Myint Swe, said his country highly respects the position of Nigeria as the giant of Africa and also shares similarities with Nigeria in the diversity of ethnic groups.
He stated determination to use his tenure as Ambassador to strengthen trade relations especially in the areas of wild life, natural resources and water resources; “my time will see the growth in relations between our countries,” he said.