Mrs Marie-Jeanne Ntakirutimana, Burundi’s Ambassador to Nigeria has urged Nigerians to stand united to effectively defeat terrorism.
The envoy said that unity of citizens was critical to ending the menace posed by insecurity.
Ntakirutimana made the call during the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Burundi in Abuja.
Ntakirutimana said that Burundi successfully defeated terrorism by standing together amid diversity to fight the common enemy.
She said Burundi was one of the safest countries in Africa now and had also helped other countries fight insecurity by sending troops to countries like Somalia, Central Africa.
Ntakirutimana said Burundi was also willing to share its expertise with Nigeria to combat terrorism.
“Nigeria is a sister country and Burundians are ready to come and help Nigeria get secured.
“Burundi had some issues but for our country to escape those issues we got united; our people are diverse, but our difference has been our strength, so we used it.
“We decided to fight together so I call on Nigerians to be united in your diversity; Diversity could be the strength of a nation. Nigerians, be united to fight together,” Ntakirutimana advised.
On Burundi’s 60th anniversary, Ntakirutimana said the country had recorded significant achievements in the past 60 years across all sectors with much more to be achieved in the nearest future.
She said Burundian President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, had since 2021 been making efforts to diversify the economy and woo investors especially in agriculture and mining sectors.
She said the country achieved so much in its 60 years of independence and had developed quickly, haven secured “Independence in many sectors”.
She said Burundi developed the agriculture sector, social economy, infrastructure, hospitals, schools and its mining sector, which it did not know how vast it was before Ndayishimiye’s ascension.
She said the country faced many security-related problems but under the present democratic leadership, it overcame them and began developing remarkably.
“Now the country has put much efforts in agriculture because we have embraced a country which has many opportunities in agriculture.
“We produce a large quantity of coffee which is exported and the coffee produced in Burundi is of the highest quality. The tea is the second product we export.
“Since 2021 when the president was elected, he decided to develop the agriculture sector, that is why we continue to call on investors to come to work in this sector.
“We also call on the investors who can come and work in the mining sector,” Ntakirutimana said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ntakirutimana submitted her letter of Credence to President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 25, 2021 and had pledged to strengthen the bilateral relations between both countries. (NAN)
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