Buhari, Italian PM holds talks
By; Sunday Ode, Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday received the Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja for a bilateral meeting.
The talks centered on how both leaders could find common ground for improved economic and security partnerships.
In a joint press briefing after the meeting held behind closed-doors, President Buhari thanked his guest for prioritising matters that concern Nigeria and promised to cooperate fully with Italy on all topics of importance.
He said: “We discussed majorly in terms of development of petroleum resources and supporting us with training and equipping our security forces to check illegal immigration.”
According to Buhari, their bilateral discussion also touched on the need to prioritise agriculture in the face of falling prices of crude oil which is Nigeria’s economic and export backbone.
“We discussed about agriculture which is one of the areas we identify that will be a priority in face of dwindling oil prices,” Buhari said.
The Italian Prime Minister, in his remarks said he was in Nigeria to highlight the common ideas and values that the two countries shared, adding that his government had identified Nigeria as a key ally in the war on terror and illegal migration.
Renzi, 41, also promised to ensure improved cooperation with Nigeria in areas of security, energy, agriculture and small and medium scale ventures.
His words: “Italy will improve cooperation with Nigeria in areas of security, energy, agriculture and small and medium enterprise.”
Renzi also vowed to work with Nigeria and the global community to ensure prompt destruction of Boko Haram insurgents, adding that the will of Nigerians would not be broken by the insurgency.
He emphasized that the insurgents knew all along that the world would destroy them, adding that the international community was focused and determined to destroy them.
Benzi’s visit which came barely two days after the insurgents launched a deadly attack on Dalori, near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital,
kick-starts a two-day, three-nation tour of West Africa beginning from Nigeria.
The PM is also billed for Ghana and Senegal where the visit would be rounded off.
