Aswan Forum: President Buhari Returns to Abuja

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president and some members of his entourage landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 2.30 pm.

At the opening of the forum on Dec. 11, President Buhari maintained that the resolution of conflict situations in African countries had remained a key component in the overall development of the continent.

The Nigerian leader said: “As Africans, it is important to focus on the issues of conflict prevention and resolution. Conflicts have devastating effects on our societies and they militate against our progress. In this regard, the need to silence the guns cannot be overemphasized.”

President Buhari equally emphasized that massive investment in transportation infrastructure was necessary for African economic resurgence as this would facilitate the African Free Trade Area Agreement recently signed on by the continental leaders.

“Africa should embark on the provision of transport connectivity by enhancing the development of roads, rail, and air links which will ease the free movement of persons, goods and services within the continent.

”In this regard, we in Nigeria have already commenced an aggressive drive to upgrade our rail transport system and road networks across the country.

“We should furthermore promote free trade within and amongst Africa and Africans especially now that we have launched the African Free Trade Area Agreement,” he said.

The President also held bilateral talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdelfattah el-Sisi where both leaders pledged to collaborate to eradicate the menace of terrorism in parts of Africa.

President Buhari and el-Sisi met on the sidelines of the Aswan Forum on Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa taking place in Egypt.