President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed appreciation to German Chancellor, Angela Merkel for Germany’s cooperation and support to Nigeria’s efforts to transform the economy and improve the lives of citizens.
President Jonathan was speaking to the visiting German Foreign Minister, Dr. Guido Westerwelle, who is in Nigeria for the Nigeria-German Bi-National Commission meeting, at State House, Friday.
‘We appreciate the German Chancellor’s efforts towards strengthening relations with Nigeria in many areas, especially the improvement of energy supply’, he stated.
Responding to a request from the German Foreign Minister for information about the situation in Mali, President Jonathan said interactions with a cross section of Malians during his visit to Mali recently showed a desire for peace and a commitment to remove the rebels from Northern Mali.
‘The Economic Community of West African States is committed to restoring peace and normalcy to Mali, and therefore seeks the support of German and the European Union’, he told Dr. Westerwelle.
‘We must take action to root out the Al-Qaeda, drug traffickers, kidnappers and other criminal elements who are turning Northern Mali into a home for terrorists’, he stated.
The President also said Nigeria’s contribution to Mali would include technical support to the Malian military.
Earlier, the German Foreign Minister, Dr. Guido Westerwelle, said Germany admired the success being achieved by President Jonathan in building Nigeria into a power-house in the continent.
‘Nigeria is becoming one of the new centres of power, especially considering the increasing responsibilities you are shouldering in West Africa and the continent’, he said.
He said Germany was interested in the destiny of the sub-region, and was willing to help restore peace and normalcy to Mali.
The German Foreign Minister is in Nigeria at the head of a delegation for a meeting of the Nigeria-Germany Bi-National Commission.