EU restates commitment to supporting Tinubu’s development policies

The European Union, on Friday, reassured of its support for the Bola Tinubu administration, saying it will continue to explore more areas to collaborate on.

The Managing Director of EU’s External Action Service, Rita Laranjinha, stated the reassurance when she briefed Vice President Kashim Shettima on the forthcoming Ministerial Dialogue to be held on October 19, 2023.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Vice President Kashim Shettima, while welcoming the team to the Presidential Villa, reiterated Nigeria’s resolve to remain open to interventions that work, adding that mutual and beneficial partnerships remained the utmost in President Tinubu’s foreign policy directive.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration remains a breath of fresh air, observing that despite its current share of challenges, “the nation, like a phoenix, will rise from the ashes of despair and soar.

“Support us and we will, in turn, support not just West Africa but the entire African continent as a result of our Domino effect. We are really out to reposition this country. God has blessed this nation.

“We have not utilised half of our arable and fertile land, much more our bountiful human resources. We are ready to partner with the EU in the execution of mutually beneficial projects and programmes to the benefit of Nigerians,” the Shettima stated.

Sen. Shettima who expressed concerns about migration issues called on the EU to join hands with the Tinubu administration in creating jobs in the digital world, more so that the EU agenda perfectly blends with the eight-point agenda of the Tinubu administration.

Speaking earlier, Laranjinha who led the EU delegation, said she was in the country ahead of the Ministerial Dialogue with Nigerian officials billed to take place on October 19.

“This Ministerial Dialogue will be chaired by the Vice President of the EU Mission. He will be here to hold meetings with members of the Nigerian government to take stock of the relations between the EU and Nigeria in different areas and to prepare the way forward in this relationship.

“Today, it was very clear that there is a lot of common interest in the relationship but there is still a lot that we can still do. Nigeria matters in the region, continent and the world, and the EU wants to make sure that we will be a partner of choice for Nigeria,” Laranjinha submitted.

She thanked the Vice President for his support, saying the EU delegation is committed to working closely with Nigeria in the different areas of trade, investments, energy, digitalization, peace and security matters.