Economic recovery: German parliament pledges support

Head of Bundestrat, Ms Malu Dreyer, disclosed at the weekend that the Upper Chamber of the German Parliament has pledged the country’s support to Nigeria, in its economic recovery effort.
Dreyer said this when she received a delegation of the Nigeria Senate, led by its President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Berlin. She noted that Nigeria deserves Germany’s support, to boost its economic recovery plans.
A statement by Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, quoted Dreyer as saying that “Germany will support the on-going economic recovery programme in the country.”
She also said her country looks towards extending the special partnership and grassroots co-operation which it presently has with Rwanda to Nigeria, and added that more exchange programmes between the two countries should be initiated.
“The partnership between Nigeria and Germany is very important and should be nurtured.
“This partnership, at a very high level, can help the entire population in Nigeria. We have to do all that is necessary to support Africa to prevent internal crisis that would later plague Europe.
“We should empower African nations to enable the people and their government take their fate into their own hands. We have a gain to make from this co-operation,’’ she said.
Dreyer said Germany will tackle the root cause of refugees, through helping countries to be stable and economically buoyant.
On renewable energy, Dreyer said Germany was ready to help Nigeria through exchange of technical information and exchange programmes.
Earlier, Saraki reiterated the need for Germany to partner Nigeria in the areas of economic co-operation, security and renewable energy.
He said that the Senate delegation was in Berlin to strengthen the existing relations between both countries as represented by the visit of the German President to Nigeria last year in company of some German businessmen.
“We appreciate the cordial relationship between Germany and Nigeria. We need German support as our government works hard through progressive policies and legislation aimed at overcoming our current challenges.
“It may be true that we have economic challenges but the fundamentals remain good and even the prospects are better.
“That is why we are seriously working to diversify the economy and move away from the dependence on oil.”