From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for joint international efforts to tackle the menace of COVID-19.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Buhari stated this, yesterday, at a ceremony where he received Letters of Credence from Ambassadors of Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Yanko Yordanou, People’s Republic of China, Mr Cui Jianchun, High Co™mmissioner of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr Muhammad Tayyab Azan, Ambassadors of Republic of Turkey, Mr Hidayet Bayraktar and Ukraine, Valerii Kirdoda, at the State House.
“As you all settle down to your solemn duties to promote your respective national values and interests through your countries’ foreign policy on Nigeria, you should rest assured that the Federal Republic of Nigeria will engage you as we all strive to relate through effective cooperation and collaboration to enhance our collective interests.
“As we are all aware, the pre-COVID-19 era was already faced with the challenge of attaining sustainable development. Some countries were even faced with additional challenges like securing their territorial integrity against violent non-state actors.
“The unprecedented crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic has now caused far more serious setbacks to our quests for sustainable development; hence the need for international cooperation and collaboration to fight the disease, as no country is immune from its devastating effects on lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Buhari stressed the need for greater unity of purpose and concerted efforts to address common challenges such as climate change, terrorism, insurgency, population growth, highlighting their catastrophic impacts and why the challenges cannot be underestimated.
“These challenges underscore the need for the international community to work even more in concert with each other to collectively identify appropriate ways and manners to globally resolve these challenges.”
The president welcomed the Ambassadors to Nigeria, urging them to build on the successes of their predecessors, while assuring the government would continue to support their mission in Nigeria.