Oct 10, 2021 — While meeting the Nigerian President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, on the sideline of the inauguration ceremony of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed on Monday, October 4th, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian, South Sudan’s incumbent president Salva Kiir appreciates the role played by the Republic of Nigeria in South Sudan and acknowledged the Nigerian First Lady, Aisha Buhari, for supporting girl child education in South Sudan despite numerous challenges girl child education faces in her country.
“H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit also commended the First Lady of Nigeria for providing education opportunities for South Sudanese girls to study in Nigeria.” The Presidential Press Unit Stated.
In response, president Buhari said Nigeria is ready and willing to continue extending a helping hand to South Sudan not only through education but will also help towards political and economic stability.
“Nigeria is ready to extend a helping hand to South Sudan towards political and economic stability” President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday in Addis Ababa.
‘‘Nigeria will contribute its quota as much as possible to the development of South Sudan. Take us into confidence and ask us what we can do,’’ Buhari continued.
Humbled, the South Sudanese president acknowledged the role of Nigeria in leadership in Africa and commends Nigeria’s efforts during the liberation struggle.
The Nigerian president reiterated the need for cooperation and good bilateral relations among the developing countries, adding that it is paramount to elevate the level of education in Africa to boost economic growth and healthcare sector.
Similarly, President Salva Kiir Mayardit also held a meeting with the Nigeria’s former president, His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, who led the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan conflict in 2014, to discuss matters pertaining to South Sudan political situation.
While Nigeria is the largest oil producer in African, South Sudan comes third after Libya but the three countries suffer internal crises, mostly civil war, and corruption.
On the issue of leadership in the continent, the Nigerian president, who formerly led his country after grabbing power through a military coup [1983 – 85] and officially elected to office in 2015, Mohammed Buhari, proved to hold different views on the recent military coup in Guinea and Mali.
While Buhari holds the view that African leaders must support efforts geared towards economic growth and democracy, president Salva Kiir, who recently fired the minister of foreign affairs after issuing a statement on Guinea’s coup de-tat, is more laid back on issues of other countries.
According to President Buhari, the East and Central Africa should be more proactive like ECOWAS which responses immediately whenever need arises in West Africa.
‘‘In West Africa, ECOWAS intervenes immediately whenever a country has a problem. That should be adopted in East and Central Africa,’’ he said.
Buhari and Salva Kiir were among many African leaders who turned up to witness the inauguration ceremony of the Ethiopia Primer Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
