Abuja, Nigeria - Three new ambassadors accredited to Nigeria on Tuesday presented their letters of credence to President Goodluck Jonathan at a ceremony in Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The three ambassadors are Lt. Gen. Mohamad Ashraf Saleem (Pakistan), Mr. David Jonathan Richardson (Australia) and Mr. Joao Andre Pinto Dias Lima (Brazil).
President Jonathan told Gen. Saleem that the agreements and decisions taken at the recent D-8 Summit in Pakistan would help to strengthen existing relations among members of the group.
'I am glad that you are coming soon after the D-8 Summit, because we plan to take advantage of the decisions of the group to strengthen our relations.'
Nigeria, Jonathan said, wanted to leverage on the long history of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Pakistan to improve agriculture, create jobs and increase food supply.
The new Pakistani High Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Saleem, said he looked forward to working with the President to improve relations between the two nations.
During a separate audience with Mr Richardson of Australia, President Jonathan said he looked forward to more cooperation and investment from Australia, especially in the solid minerals sector.
He also expressed appreciation for Australia’s pledge of US$50m to support Nigeria’s polio eradication programme, and restated the Administration’s commitment to eradicate polio from Nigeria by 2015.
Speaking to Mr Dias Lima of Brazil, President Jonathan said the forthcoming visit of the Brazilian President to Abuja would lead to closer relations between Nigeria and Brazil.
Pana 20/02/2013