FG to work with other countries to create more economic opportunities—Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the federal government led by President Buhari will be happy to work closely with other countries who share similar socio-economic objectives in order to increase economic opportunities and healthcare delivery to citizens. Prof. Osinbajo stated this on when he received, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, Secretary General of the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation. The D-8 top official is in Nigeria as the Health & Social Protection Programme of the group is being established in the country.

According to the Vice President, while addressing the Secretary General “I want to congratulate you on the signing of the partnership agreement for the Health and Social Protection Programme. This is important for us and for all D-8 countries. “We are all emerging economies, the whole question around health care, human capacity development is crucial for us, and I think it is appropriate that we devote the time and resources like we are currently doing.” Speaking further on the focal areas of cooperation of the D-8, Prof. Osinbajo said, “We are hopeful that you will succeed in deepening the impact of the focal areas of trade, industry, energy and tourism, in all of our countries. We are happy that, working with the other countries, we can achieve our economic objectives. So, we are certainly looking forward to continue to work with the D-8. We are committed to the D-8 and expect that the forthcoming summit will expand the scope of work and deepen the achievements of the D-8”.

Earlier in his remark, Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari who thanked Nigeria for hosting the secretariat of the D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme, said implementing programmes on health and poverty alleviation was key to the agenda of the organisation. He also spoke on the D-8’s forthcoming summit in Bangladesh later in the year where a new road map and plan of action for the actualisation of the organisation’s targets will be launched. The D-8 countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey with a combined population of approximately 1 billion covering an area of 7.6 million square kilometres and, 5% of world land area.