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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday night in Paris, France, asked European countries to consider restructuring their debt portfolios, opting for complete reliefs, including releasing vaccines to Africa which is still behind in tackling the Corona Virus.
In an op-ed signed by Buhari and published in Paris-based magazine, Le Point, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, the president said Africa’s fight against the impact of the novel disease is inseparable from the fight against terrorism.
He also urged global financial institutions to consider reducing the devastating effect of the pandemic on African economies.
The President, who spoke at the Financing Africa Summit held at Grande Palais Ephemere with the theme: “External Financing and Debt Treatment”, indicated that the fall in commodity prices as Covid-19 took a toll on the global economy further slowed down growth in some countries and strained health facilities.
“It is in this vein that we solicit the support of the French government with its influence in the European Union to lend its voice to the efforts being made to mobilize additional resources for developing economies most especially Africa in order to strengthen the quantum of investments to our economies. This financial support should also be extended to the private sector,” he said.
Furthermore Nigeria has been battling the insurgency of terrorist group, Boko Haram, since 2009, a battle that has led to over 30,000 deaths and displacement of millions.
However, President Buhari noted in his op-ed that the terrorists have been causing serious concerns with their recent activities, a situation he blamed on the fight against COVID-19.
“Around the Lake Chad Basin, Boko Haram terrorism have taken advantage of the pandemic and pushed back into my country Nigeria, whilst still launching raids and attacks in Chad, Cameroon, and Niger,” he said.
Buhari said other African nations in the Sahel are similarly affected by the activities of jihadists, a consequence of porous borders.
Noting that France itself has not escaped the reach of terrorism, the Nigerian leader said the European nation’s cooperation in fighting it in Africa must be strengthened.
“We must be agile and flexible, cooperating cross our borders to cut the head off their groups,” he said.
Buhari noted that the solution to terrorism must be two-pronged, with military action backed by the provision of economic opportunities.
He said partners must focus on initiatives that sustainably spread opportunity far and wide across the Sahel.
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