Egypt’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Ashraf Salama, on Tuesday night in Abuja expressed confidence that Nigeria and Egypt would overcome their present security challenges and help in securing Africa’s future.
Salama said this at a dinner to mark Egypt’s national day.
According to him given Egypt and Nigeria’s leading roles in Africa, peace in the two countries would impact positively on the overall development of the continent.
The Egyptian envoy said there was the need for the two nations to continue to partner with the international community with a view to finding lasting solution to their security challenges.
He described recent terrorist attacks in Nigeria and Egypt as acts of extreme wickedness and enjoined the peoples of the two nations to unite against extremists.
The ambassador, who traced the history of bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Egypt to pre-independence era, said strengthening the ties would immensely benefit the peoples of the two nations.
He described the success of Nigeria’s 2015 general elections as ‘an indication that the country knows where it was headed’, adding that Egypt would record a similar feat in its upcoming parliamentary polls.
Amb. Bulus Lolo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Nigeria and Egypt shared similar experiences in terrorism and expressed optimism in the ability of both countries to overcome the trend.