President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has commended South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa for his efforts in bolstering democracy across the African continent.
President Tinubu praised the South African government’s national unity initiative, recognizing it as a stabilizing force in the country’s political landscape.
President Tinubu made the remark when his host, the newly sworn-in South African Leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa paid an appreciative visit to the Nigerian President at Radisson Blu Hotel, Sandton-Johannesbourg.
The Nigerian Leader applauded the South African President, noting that the initiative comes at a difficult time for Africa as leaders on the continent strive to create collaborative economic strategies to support the disadvantaged and vulnerable people of the countries.
“I am very much at home, here to congratulate my brother for putting together a very very impressive outing particularly forming the government of national unity to stabilise the polity that is coming at a very challenging time for the rest of us in Africa to come up collaborative economics that will help our downtrodden and vulnerable people.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s support to South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed satisfaction saying both countries have recorded commendable international partnership across multilateral institutions.
“It’s been a real pleasure to meet President Tinubu and I felt very honoured to have him at my Inauguration yesterday, it lifted my spirit and gave huge encouragement to us as South Africans that the President of an important country like Nigeria, the largest country by the population under the continent and large economy could come and be in attendance at my Inauguration, it is a great honour and great privilege and I feel at home as well to have this moment to have a discussion with President Tinubu on a whole range of issues.
“And I am particularly pleased that we support each other internationally at various forays at the UN and multilateral institutions.
“It has been a great honour to have you here your Excellency and that is why I felt I should come and pay my respect,” President Ramaphosa added.
Economic &Trade Relations
The South African president disclosed that part of the discussions he had with President Tinubu was on the need to engender economic and trade relations between Nigeria and South Africa.
He underscored the position of the two nations on the African continent describing Nigeria and South Africa as nations among the pillars of Africa.
President Ramaphosa added that a continued and strengthened partnership between Nigeria and South Africa will benefit Africa as a whole.
“What matters most is to be able to have very good economic links with Nigeria, the two countries of South Africa and Nigeria are very important on our continent and when the two countries work together which we are and we do things together it benefits Africa, it is the two countries that are among the pillars of our continent.
“Nigeria and South Africa are essentially joined at the hip and we want to engender good economic and trade relations between our two countries to address the challenges that our two countries face,” the South African leader added.
Government Of National Unity
President Ramaphosa expressed his satisfaction with the acceptance of the government of National Unity initiative by other African Leaders affirming that South Africa will continue to build on its democracy.
He added that more important for South Africa is to use the government of National Unity to achieve economic growth or the country and to be able to attract investment into the country.
“And of course, we have set up a government of National Unity and I am particularly pleased that the African continent has responded positively to the news that we will continue stabilizing the politics of our country.
“But more importantly through the government of National Unity, we set in very strong foundation for economic growth and to be able to attract investment,” South Africa’s President added.
On Wednesday, June 19th, President Cyril Ramaphosa was officially inaugurated as the 5th President of South Africa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, was among the eighteen Presidents who were invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of the re-elected President of South Africa. This historic event was also attended by several other African leaders.
Lantana Nasir
