G7 countries promise to support Buhari’s administration

With the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the G7 (industrialised nations) have promised to help his administration, as the Group has asked him to come with the list on the areas he would need assistance at the next meeting of the Group slated for next month.
The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel had earlier through the German Ambassador sent an invitation to President Buhari.
However, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron of Friday asked Buhari to along to the meeting with “wish list”.
The statement from the Head, President Muhammadu Buhari Media Team, Mallam Garba Shehu stated that the British Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Philip Hammond conveyed Cameron’s message to Buhari.
According to Hammond, the Prime Minister had requested for a list of what Nigeria wanted, to help succeed against the current challenges facing the country. “We are waiting for your own list,” he said.
Shehu stated that this meeting was a follow-up to an earlier one between the then President-elect and Prime minister Cameron, at which commitments were given to the in-coming administration in several areas, including the fight against terrorism, power and energy and such matters of common concerns of migration challenges facing the continent as well as what he called “intelligence fusion” to secure Africa from global terror.
He also raised the issue of “free trade” between the EU and Africa, a proposal he said enjoyed the support of several countries on the continent and in support of which he sought to enlist the backing of President Buhari.
The President in turn promised to prepare the government’s aspirations for the summit which he said he will attend.
Also, the leader of the Chinese delegation and the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Han Changfu at a similar meeting, asked President Buhari to open avenues for Chinese investments in Nigeria.
According to him, China would help Nigeria out in several areas including agriculture, power, railways and other infrastructure.
Shehu also stated that the President of Congo Brazaville, Dennis Sassou Nguesso was also among the several leaders who had audiences with the President after the inauguration on Friday.
Shehu said: “The Congolese leader said he had been mandated by other leaders in Central Africa to seek a meeting with their counterparts in the ECOWAS with a view to tackling common challenges especially the one posed by terrorism. Nguesso also requested President Buhari to assume his rightful place as the leader of Africa.
The current Somali President Sheikh Hassan Mohamoud asked for Nigeria’s help in its bid to conquer terror and establish control over the country’s territory.
Speaking while receiving Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, President Buhari expressed his wish to work with Zuma to fight terrorism in Africa and outside the continent.
The South Africa president and his counter part in Nigeria agreed to meet and exchange state visits to deepen the existing bilateral relationships.