by Kingseyi Wed Jul 18, 2018 8:17 pmPresident Muhammadu Buhari has returned to
Abuja after a successful 3-day official visit to
The Hague, Netherlands, where he delivered a
Keynote Address at the 20 Anniversary of the
International Criminal Court (ICC).
Alhaji Bashir Ahmed, President Buhari’s
Personal Assistant on Social Media, confirmed
this development on his twitter page on
Wednesday in Abuja.
While addressing the ICC on Tuesday, President
Buhari assured the international community of a
free, fair and peaceful 2019 general elections in
Nigeria.
He maintained that under his watch, the tragic
incidents that characterised the 2011 general
elections, necessitating preliminary
investigations by the ICC would not happen
again in Nigeria.
He also met with Shell CEO and discussions
focused on investments in deep water and gas
projects in Nigeria, toured the Port of Rotterdam
and the Shell Refinery Pernis, Hoogvliet, a
borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The President had on July 17 met with Prime
Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and the
two leaders restated their commitment to
growing trade partnership between Nigeria and
the Netherlands.
During the talks, Rutte described Nigeria as the
Netherlands’ most important trading partner,
noting that in the field of modern agriculture,
there were opportunities for Dutch companies
and knowledge institutes.
The two leaders also discussed issues relating
to the fight against insurgency in the North-East,
climate change, particularly the shrinkage of
Lake Chad.
Buhari welcomed the interest of the Dutch Prime
Minister on Lake Chad and commitment to
establish a technical committee to work with the
Nigerian side on the best approach to address
the issue of the receding Lake.
In pursuit of one of the cardinal themes of his
administration, the President also met with over
20 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Dutch-
owned companies.
Buhari assured them of a secured Nigeria where
their investments would be safe and yield
handsome returns.
The president said: “Stability was the first thing
in our campaigns. You have to secure a country
first, before you can efficiently manage it.
“Before businesses can thrive, security is
paramount. That is why we lay so much
emphasis on securing the country.
“After security, our next emphasis is reviving
the economy and then, fighting corruption.’’
He commended the many Dutch-owned
companies operating in Nigeria for dealing fairly.
The President noted that with many of them,
“the relationship dates back more than two
generations, and it is now almost a blood
relationship rather than commercial.”
In the course of the three-day official visit, the
President also met with members of Nigerians in
Diaspora Organization (NIDO), the Netherlands
Chapter.
He lauded them for their professional and
intellectual achievements and contributions to
the development of their motherland.
“I am pleased with the quality of people I am
seeing. You are high quality people.
Congratulations on your personal
achievements.”
Among those that met the President was Julius
Nnamdi Nwankpa, Chairman NIDO and Dr
Mustapha Gidado, a specialist in tuberculosis.
Gidado has oversight over management of the
disease in 22 countries and Lola Visser
Mabogunje, a performance monitoring expert.
Dr Peter Ngene, a research scientist and
Assistant Professor at Utrecht University and
Cornelius Obot, a software expert.
Toyin Loyo, an artist and culture enthusiast of
international repute also attended the meeting
with the President.
On the sidelines of the President’s visit, the
Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and
his Dutch Counterpart, Stef Blok, signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
bilateral consultations at Schedeldoekshaven,
The Hague.
The MoU aims to promote and facilitate relations
between Nigeria and the Netherlands in the key
thematic areas of security, trade, investment,
agriculture, political dialogue and education.
NAN
Abuja after a successful 3-day official visit to
The Hague, Netherlands, where he delivered a
Keynote Address at the 20 Anniversary of the
International Criminal Court (ICC).
Alhaji Bashir Ahmed, President Buhari’s
Personal Assistant on Social Media, confirmed
this development on his twitter page on
Wednesday in Abuja.
While addressing the ICC on Tuesday, President
Buhari assured the international community of a
free, fair and peaceful 2019 general elections in
Nigeria.
He maintained that under his watch, the tragic
incidents that characterised the 2011 general
elections, necessitating preliminary
investigations by the ICC would not happen
again in Nigeria.
He also met with Shell CEO and discussions
focused on investments in deep water and gas
projects in Nigeria, toured the Port of Rotterdam
and the Shell Refinery Pernis, Hoogvliet, a
borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The President had on July 17 met with Prime
Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and the
two leaders restated their commitment to
growing trade partnership between Nigeria and
the Netherlands.
During the talks, Rutte described Nigeria as the
Netherlands’ most important trading partner,
noting that in the field of modern agriculture,
there were opportunities for Dutch companies
and knowledge institutes.
The two leaders also discussed issues relating
to the fight against insurgency in the North-East,
climate change, particularly the shrinkage of
Lake Chad.
Buhari welcomed the interest of the Dutch Prime
Minister on Lake Chad and commitment to
establish a technical committee to work with the
Nigerian side on the best approach to address
the issue of the receding Lake.
In pursuit of one of the cardinal themes of his
administration, the President also met with over
20 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Dutch-
owned companies.
Buhari assured them of a secured Nigeria where
their investments would be safe and yield
handsome returns.
The president said: “Stability was the first thing
in our campaigns. You have to secure a country
first, before you can efficiently manage it.
“Before businesses can thrive, security is
paramount. That is why we lay so much
emphasis on securing the country.
“After security, our next emphasis is reviving
the economy and then, fighting corruption.’’
He commended the many Dutch-owned
companies operating in Nigeria for dealing fairly.
The President noted that with many of them,
“the relationship dates back more than two
generations, and it is now almost a blood
relationship rather than commercial.”
In the course of the three-day official visit, the
President also met with members of Nigerians in
Diaspora Organization (NIDO), the Netherlands
Chapter.
He lauded them for their professional and
intellectual achievements and contributions to
the development of their motherland.
“I am pleased with the quality of people I am
seeing. You are high quality people.
Congratulations on your personal
achievements.”
Among those that met the President was Julius
Nnamdi Nwankpa, Chairman NIDO and Dr
Mustapha Gidado, a specialist in tuberculosis.
Gidado has oversight over management of the
disease in 22 countries and Lola Visser
Mabogunje, a performance monitoring expert.
Dr Peter Ngene, a research scientist and
Assistant Professor at Utrecht University and
Cornelius Obot, a software expert.
Toyin Loyo, an artist and culture enthusiast of
international repute also attended the meeting
with the President.
On the sidelines of the President’s visit, the
Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and
his Dutch Counterpart, Stef Blok, signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
bilateral consultations at Schedeldoekshaven,
The Hague.
The MoU aims to promote and facilitate relations
between Nigeria and the Netherlands in the key
thematic areas of security, trade, investment,
agriculture, political dialogue and education.
NAN
