Buhari challenges African leaders on peace, development agenda

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said African leaders must speak with one voice, independent of foreign influence to achieve economic integration, development, peace and security on the continent.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement, in Abuja, on Saturday.

Buhari was speaking at a bilateral meeting with President Alpha Conde of Guinea on Friday night in Istanbul, Turkey.

The presidential aide said that the two presidents, who met on the margins of the 9th D8 Summit in Istanbul, exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Buhari said that leaders should learn from history to effectively tackle conflicts, violent extremism, and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

He assured his Guinean counterpart, who is also the current Chairman of AU that Nigeria would continue to strengthen its engagement with all AU member states to address current security challenges in restive areas such as South Sudan and Libya, and the political crisis in Togo.

In his remarks, Conde praised Nigeria’s leadership on the continent, particularly Buhari’s great job on anti-corruption and his strong voice on African issues at the international stage.

The Guinean leader stressed the need for Guinea and Nigeria to accelerate economic cooperation, particularly in the natural resources sector, where Guinea boasts of 25 per cent or more of the world’s known bauxite reserves.