Boko Haram to dominate Buhari, Obama’s July meeting –US

The issue of Boko Haram will dominate discussion when President Muhammadu Buhari visits the United States next month.

Buhari is expected to be a guest to his United States’ (US) counterpart, Barack Obama, on July 20, 2015. The visit is at the instance of US government.

According to a statement issued by the US embassy in Abuja, the meeting would seek to advance a holistic, regional approach to combating Boko Haram.

Also to be discussed is Nigeria’s efforts to advance far reaching economic and political reforms that will help unlock its full potential as a regional and global leader.

The visit, the statement further stated, will underscore US longstanding friendship with Nigeria.

“The visit will underscore the United States’ longstanding friendship with Nigeria, our commitment to strengthening and expanding our partnership with Nigeria’s new government, and our support for the Nigerian people following their historic democratic elections and peaceful transfer of power.

“President Obama looks forward to discussing with President Buhari our many shared priorities including U.S.-Nigeria cooperation to advance a holistic, regional approach to combating Boko Haram, as well as Nigeria’s efforts to advance important economic and political reforms that will help unlock its full potential as a regional and global leader.

“In addition to hosting President Buhari at the White House, the United States will welcome President Buhari’s senior advisors for consultations with U.S. counterparts and other events aimed at building on the strong U.S.-Nigeria relationship.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja welcomed efforts to strengthen and expand cooperation between ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on the war against terrorism.

Speaking at a meeting with the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, President Buhari restated his view that greater regional and international cooperation was needed to ensure victory over terrorism in Nigeria and other countries.

The president assured Ouedraogo that Nigeria will hold further consultations with other stakeholders to agree on a new date for the ECOWAS-ECCAS security summit on Boko Haram, earlier scheduled to hold in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on April 8, 2015.

The summit was postponed because of the general elections in Nigeria on March 28 and April 11, 2015.

President Buhari also assured Ouedraogo that Nigeria will continue to fulfil its financial obligations to ECOWAS to enhance the regional body’s ability to attain its objective of regional integration and development.

The president commended the ECOWAS Commission and other ECOWAS institutions for progress made on the Biometric Identity Card system, which will come into force in 2016, saying that its introduction will be a major milestone to full regional integration and the free movement of ECOWAS citizens within the sub-region.