President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to provide concrete support to the African continent’s fight against terrorism and insurgency.
President Buhari said on Saturday at the third edition of the Summit that the boko haram terrorist group is still active and preying on soft targets, despite being fragmented by internal strife and degraded by Nigeria’s defense forces.
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The President expressed his delight that the Summit convened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the issue of terrorism while also focusing on Africa’s development and infrastructure.
“Another area on which this Partnership should focus is the global challenge of climate change, which affects Nigeria, Turkey, Africa, and the rest of the world.”
“Food insecurity, lake drying, loss of livelihood, and youth migration, among other things, have all become catalysts for conflict.”
“The trend is the same all over the world, with communities being engulfed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flooding, drought, and desertification.”
“I’d like to take this opportunity to call for support for initiatives like Africa’s Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which aims to combat the effects of climate change and desertification in the continent.”
“By 2030, the initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in 11 Sahel-Saharan countries, capture 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs,” he said.
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COVID-19
President Buhari urged nations to follow the example of Africa-Turkey cooperation in combating the global coronavirus pandemic, which emphasizes solidarity and support.
“The pandemic is a global problem that necessitates global cooperation and solutions, and the Africa-Turkey cooperation model has proven to be a model for the rest of the world.”
“There has been mutual support not only in responding to the pandemic, but also in building resilience and sustainable development in other sectors.”
“We also applaud the African Union for the outstanding job it has done in coordinating the Partnership’s implementation,” he added.
In light of the increasingly unpredictable nature of today’s global challenges, the Nigerian leader stated that world leaders must continue to prioritize the well-being of humanity for the common good and prosperity of all.
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“In order to better equip us to address current and future challenges in a more equitable and sustainable manner, we must promote science, technology, and innovation, as well as share knowledge from research and development.”
“In this regard, Nigeria strongly supports both the Summit Declaration and the Joint Action Plan 2022-2026,” he said.
Trade
President Buhari welcomed the significant increase in trade figures between Africa and Turkey, reaffirming that international trade is an engine for development and sustained economic growth, as well as the global eradication of poverty.
He urged the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA) to help boost trade between Africa and Turkey, resulting in a win-win situation for all parties.
President Buhari praised President Erdogan for establishing the Turkey-Africa Partnership in 2008.
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“We are confident that this cooperation mechanism will be a game-changer for our countries and set us on the path of sustainable development for our peoples, given the level of openness, trust, and commitment manifested in the Africa–Turkey Partnership,” the Nigerian leader added.
