Tinubu Welcomes New Qatari Investment Initiatives In Agric
President Bola Tinubu has affirmed Nigeria’s openness to strategic partnerships with Qatar during a high-level diplomatic meeting at the State House on Friday.
Tinubu hosted Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who arrived as a special envoy from the Amir of Qatar.
During the meeting, Al-Khulaifi announced that a delegation of Qatari business leaders will visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and other strategic sectors.
According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the visit builds on the momentum generated by President Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar earlier in 2024.
He quoted Tinubu as telling his guests, “I am also glad that the Amir of Qatar greatly remembers the issues discussed during my visit last year.
“Let me commend the brotherly relations between Qatar and Nigeria. The ambassador knows that I take Qatar very seriously. We are willing to go further in our bilateral relations.”
Tinubu also said that the Qatari government had demonstrated maturity and foresight in working for global peace and deserves commendation.
“I am proud of your efforts to bring peace and stability to the world. I see your efforts in human development, peace and prosperity. Like you, we are sandwiched between the challenge of terrorism and helping our neighbours. We are conscious of who our friends are and those helping us to ameliorate the problems,” he said.
Tinubu noted ongoing reforms to streamline Nigeria’s tax system, making it easier for foreign investors to do business in the country.
“We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by the experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard. I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
“You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria. I always follow the global issues and your efforts. You have to do more in Nigeria to help fight poverty in the humanitarian area. You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?”
He said Nigeria’s partnership with Qatar can be improved by looking into food sovereignty and economic prosperity.
“We are doing well as much as we can as the leader in Africa. We want to continue to promote good relations with you. We are ready to do whatever we can do from here. We subscribe to peace efforts by your government. There can be no development without peace,” he added.
Tinubu directed his cabinet members, including Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation; and Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to ensure the timely implementation of all bilateral agreements between the two nations.
In his remarks, the Qatari envoy conveyed the Amir’s desire to strengthen the strategic partnership with Nigeria.
“We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria. I am very impressed with our partnership with the country, which is not just government-to-government but also people-to-people.
“Our ambassador has been following up with the projects. We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals. We have some companies telling us that we should create a way for them to come into Nigeria,” he said.
Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, whose responsibilities include mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, said some Qatari companies will visit Nigeria to discuss investment opportunities in agriculture.
“The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa,” he added.
Tinubu Welcomes New Qatari Investment Initiatives In Agric is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
