Press Release: President Buhari Admonishes African Leaders On Development Agenda

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that African leaders must speak ‘with one voice’, independent of foreign influence, to achieve economic integration, development, peace, and security on the continent.

Speaking at a bilateral meeting with President Alpha Conde of Guinea on Friday night in Istanbul, Turkey, President Buhari said leaders should learn from history to effectively tackle conflicts, violent extremism, and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

The two Presidents, who met on the margins of the ninth D8 Summit in Istanbul, exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

President Buhari assured his Guinean counterpart, who is also the current Chairman of AU that Nigeria would continue to strengthen its engagement with all AU member states to address current security challenges in restive areas such as South Sudan and Libya, and the political crisis in Togo.

In his remarks, Conde praised Nigeria’s leadership on the continent, particularly President Buhari’s great job on anti-corruption and his strong voice on African issues at the international stage.

The Guinean leader stressed the need for Guinea and Nigeria to accelerate economic cooperation, particularly in the natural resources sector, where Guinea boasts of 25 percent or more of the world’s known bauxite reserves.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 21, 2017

Speech: President Buhari At 9th Summit Of The D-8, Istanbul, Turkey

Your Excellency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey, our host, Chairman of D-8

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government of the D-8 Organization,
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the D-8 Organization.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring greetings from the Government and people of Nigeria to you all, particularly to the Government and people of Turkey. Our profound appreciation to President Erdogan, the Government and people of Turkey for the warm hospitality accorded me and my delegation since our arrival.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency, for your concern and sympathy during my recent health challenge from which I have recovered, not least because of your prayer and the prayers of many other well-wishers and sympathisers.

I want to seize the opportunity of my visit to Turkey, to once again condemn the forceful attempt, in July 2016, to overthrow the legitimate and democratically elected Government of Turkey. I also wish to once again express my sympathy and condolence to the families of those who lost their lives in the coup attempt, and salute the heroic response of the people of Turkey in defence of democracy and good governance. I will like to assure you that Nigeria will continue to stand side by side with all peace-loving people of Turkey and elsewhere, for the defence and promotion of democracy and people’s choice.

I pay tribute to Your Excellency, for the great strides Turkey has made in all domains in the last decade, under your inspirational leadership. I salute your courageous, principled and firm stand on many challenges we are confronting in the world today, particularly insecurity and catastrophic humanitarian situations.

Mr. President, it is a great pleasure for me to join you and other leaders for the 9th Summit of our great Organization holding in this historic city of Istanbul, where it all began 20 years ago. Let me congratulate Your Excellency, for hosting us today and for the 20th anniversary of this Organization. Nigeria remains committed to the principles and objectives that informed the establishment of this Organization in 1997, which is simply to provide better standards of living for our people.

I also wish to express my profound appreciation to the outgoing Chairman for presiding over the affairs of our Organization and for doing everything possible so that the Organization achieves its founding objectives and takes its rightful position among nations.

Let me seize this opportunity to commend Dr. Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, the outgoing Secretary-General, for his commitment and strong resolve to forge ahead even in the face of serious challenges in discharging his responsibilities. Your wealth of diplomatic and administrative experience, as well as devotion to duty has greatly helped in the piloting of the affairs of the Secretariat. Nigeria will continue to support the Secretariat in its assignments.

Mr. Chairman, Nigeria is committed to, and is actively pursuing a policy of trade and investment facilitation for growth. The gains from trade are reflected in greater competitiveness, improved productivity, job creation, consumer welfare and prosperity.

Economies that grow fastest and at more sustainable rates are those that actively promote trade and attract investment. We are committed to creating an enabling environment and making Nigeria an attractive place for business and investment. I wish to reiterate the commitment we made in Abuja in July 2010 regarding the critical importance of the Private Sector in our economic policies.

Having identified Trade as the engine of economic growth and development, we must continue to enhance the enabling environment for it to thrive. It is in this light that I wish to appeal to Your Excellencies to encourage our respective Economic Agencies to be more active in participation at executive meetings organized by the Secretariat. I am pleased to inform you of positive market developments currently in Africa, that will support our efforts as Members of the D-8 to enlarge our markets, facilitate our trade and investments, and develop our economies.

In Africa, we are on the threshold of finalizing negotiations to establish the first ever Single Market for Trade in Goods and Services on our Continent, in the Continental Free Trade Area for Africa. This will be a win-win for all, including member countries of the D-8.

As partners, I urge that we work together to support this effort of the African Union that will have a positive effect on global economic development and integration. Nigeria remains committed to international trade and development. In this regard, Nigeria is ready to host the Meeting of our Ministers of Industry from 14th – 17th next month.

As the D-8, we need to intensify our activities with a view to enhancing various measures and incentives introduced to promote trade and assist the business communities from Member States to invest in our countries and widen our cooperation.

We need to work hard to establish integrated manufacturing structures and markets. I will like to reiterate the importance of increasing trade and investment between our Member States. We look forward to welcoming you all in Abuja next month.

Finally, Mr. President, Your Excellencies, let me also congratulate and welcome Ambassador Dato Ku Shaari of Malaysia as you assume office as the new Secretary-General of this Organization. I wish you the best of luck and I assure you of Nigeria’s support in discharge your responsibilities.

I thank you all.

Press Release: President Buhari Urges D-8 To Prioritize Incentives For Trade, Investments Among Member Countries

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Istanbul urged D-8 leaders to prioritize incentives and measures aimed at increasing trade and investments among member countries.

Speaking at the ninth summit of the D-8, President Buhari said the private sector and business communities in the economic organization must be assisted with incentives to widen economic cooperation among member-states.

‘‘As the D-8, we need to intensify our activities with a view to enhancing various measures and incentives introduced to promote trade and assist the business communities from Member States to invest in our countries and widen our cooperation.

‘‘We need to work hard to establish integrated manufacturing structures and markets. I will like to reiterate the importance of increasing trade and investment among our Member States,’’ he said,

President Buhari also used the occasion of his speech to reiterate Nigeria’s commitment to international trade and development even as he affirmed the country’s readiness to host the Meeting of D8 Ministers of Industry from November 14 – 17 in Abuja.

Highlighting the attractive business and investment opportunities in the country, the President stressed the need for prospective investors to take advantage of the Federal Government’s new policies on trade facilitation.

‘‘Nigeria is committed to, and is actively pursuing a policy of trade and investment facilitation for growth. The gains from trade are reflected in greater competitiveness, improved productivity, job creation, consumer welfare and prosperity.

‘‘Economies that grow fastest and at more sustainable rates are those that actively promote trade and attract investment. We are committed to creating an enabling environment and making Nigeria an attractive place for business and investment,’’ he said.

The President also urged D-8 member countries to support the efforts of the African Union (AU) to establish the first ever single market for trade in goods and services on the continent.

He described the AU-backed Continental Free Trade Area for Africa as a ‘’win-win for all, including member countries of the D-8.’’

‘‘I am pleased to inform you of positive market developments currently in Africa, that will support our efforts as Members of the D-8 to enlarge our markets, facilitate our trade and investments, and develop our economies.

‘‘In Africa, we are on the threshold of finalizing negotiations to establish the first ever Single Market for Trade in Goods and Services on our Continent, in the Continental Free Trade Area for Africa. This will be a win-win for all, including member countries of the D-8.

‘‘As partners, I urge that we work together to support this effort of the African Union that will have a positive effect on global economic development and integration,’’ he said.

Earlier, President Buhari had congratulated the outgoing Chairman of D8, Pakistani government, and Dr. Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, the outgoing Secretary-General, on their commitment and strong resolve to forge the organization ahead even in the face of serious challenges.

He also congratulated Turkey on assuming the new leadership of the economic organization.

He assured D-8 leaders that Nigeria would continue to support the Secretariat in its assignments to achieve the visions and objectives of the organization.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 20, 2017

Press Release: President Buhari Visits Mausoleum Of Turkey’s Founding Father, Lauds Relations Between Nigeria, Turkey

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Turkey’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, before meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Palace.

Accompanied by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey, Iliyasu Paragalda and other senior government officials, President Buhari laid the wreath in red and white colours of the Turkish flag at the tomb of Ataturk and later observed a minute silence.

Afterwards, the President signed the official Anitkabir memorial Book of Honour at the Misaki-i Milli Kulesi (National Pact Tower), within the precincts of the mausoleum, and toured the museum.

He wrote: ‘‘It is an honour and privilege to visit Anitkabir, the mausoleum of a great patriotic, visionary and courageous leader who shaped modern Turkey, during my official working visit to Ankara and the ninth D-8 summit in Istanbul.

“I pay my profound respect to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey and the first President from 1923 until his death in 1938.

‘‘I am pleased with the friendly relations between Turkey and Nigeria, which has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. I look forward to a more fruitful cooperation between our governments and people in areas of mutual concern and interests, for the benefit of our people.’’

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 19, 2017

Press Release: President Buhari To Attend D-8 Summit In Instanbul; Visit Ankara

President Muhammadu Buhari will Wednesday depart for Istanbul, Turkey to participate in the ninth Summit of the Developing 8 (D-8) on Friday, October 20, 2017.

Prior to the D-8 Summit, President Buhari, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, will participate in an official working visit to Ankara, the capital city. 

In Ankara, the President will have a tete-a-tete with his Turkish counterpart while delegations from both countries will hold discussions in various fields including defence cooperation, security, educational and migration issues.

The Nigerian leader will also visit the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara where he will meet with the Speaker, Ismail Kahraman.

 While in Istanbul, the Turkish commercial centre, President Buhari will use the occasion of the D-8 Summit to bolster warm and growing ties across a broad range of areas of cooperation with leaders of the D8-member countries, namely Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.

The Summit with the theme, ‘‘Expanding Opportunities through Cooperation’’, will among other things, focus on cooperation in the areas of agriculture, trade, transport, energy and increased private sector participation among member-countries.

During the ninth Summit of the D-8, which will also mark the 20th anniversary of the organisation established to improve the developing countries’ positions in the world economy, the President will highlight the significant show of confidence in Nigeria’s business environment and economy.

He will also affirm Nigeria’s resolve to work with D-8 member-countries on many key areas, including peace and security, economy and trade.

At the end of the Summit, the Heads of State and Government will adopt a Communiqué, also known as the ‘Istanbul Declaration’. 

The President will be accompanied on the trip by ministers, top government officials, including the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali.

FEMI ADESINA

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 17, 2017.