President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to provide tangible support to Africa’s fight against terrorism and insurgency.

According to Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, the Nigerian leader made the announcement at the third edition of the Summit on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Boko Haram terrorist group, according to the president, is still active and preying on soft targets despite being splintered by internal struggle and weakened by Nigerian security forces.

He was pleased that the Summit held by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the issue of terrorism while simultaneously focusing on Africa’s development and infrastructure.

He said, ‘‘Another area this Partnership must focus on, is the global challenge of climate change which is impacting us in Nigeria, Turkey, across Africa, and indeed across the world.

‘‘It has become a catalyst for conflict through food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood, and youth migration, among others.

‘‘The trend is the same around the world where communities are overwhelmed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flood, drought, and desertification.

‘‘I want to seize this opportunity to appeal for support for initiatives such as Africa’s Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which is designed to fight the effects of climate change and desertification in Africa.

‘‘The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in the 11 countries of the Sahel-Sahara strip, capture 250 million tons of carbon and, create 10 million green jobs by 2030.”

President Buhari urged nations to follow the example of Africa-Turkey collaboration in combating the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, which emphasizes unity and support.

President Buhari stated that, in light of the increasingly unexpected nature of today’s global challenges, international leaders must continue to prioritize the well-being of humankind for the common good and prosperity of all.

He said, ‘‘We must therefore promote science, technology, and innovation and share knowledge from research and development to better equip us to address present and future challenges in a more equitable and sustainable manner.

‘‘In this regard, Nigeria strongly endorses the Summit Declaration as well as the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan.”

The Nigerian leader praised the huge increase in trade figures between Africa and Turkey while emphasizing that international commerce is an engine for development and sustainable economic progress, as well as the global eradication of poverty.

He urged the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA) to help boost trade between Africa and Turkey, resulting in a win-win situation for all parties.

“We are confident that given the level of openness, trust, and commitment manifested in the Africa–Turkey Partnership, this cooperation mechanism will be a game-changer for our countries and set us on the path of sustainable development for our peoples,” President Buhari said, praising President Erdogan for introducing the Turkey-Africa Partnership in 2008.

(NAN)