Italy committed to working with Nigeria’s new leadership — Envoy

The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Stefano Leo, says his country is committed to working with the new Nigerian leadership to promote peace, prosperity and curb effects of climate change.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the envoy made the commitment at the 77th Italian National Day held on Friday in Abuja.

The ambassador congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians for taking an important step in the history of the country.

He said that Italy had its geographical position at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, a traditional propensity for dialogue and centrality of African Continent, in particular, Nigeria.

Leo said it was a key to stepping up and to deepening both country’s relations based on peace and security; governance and human rights; migration and mobility.

Others areas are; cooperation, investment and sustainable economic development..

Leo said that Italy’s presence in Nigeria was long standing and intense, not based on balanced political choices, but also on the presence of many Italian companies and compatriots that are entrepreneurs.

“Italy has always played a valued and recognised role in favour of Nigeria, in the European sphere, and in all multilateral fora.

“Providing a decisive contribution to mobilising greater resources towards Africa, with a series of initiatives and proposals.

“Within Africa’s dynamics especially, those with Nigeria have important repercussions on European and Italian ones. For this reason, in the framework of our partnership with Nigeria.

”it is also essential to work first and foremost with the international community, regional fora, the European Union and the family member states Italy belongs to,” he said.

The envoy added that the candidature of Rome for World Expo 2030 showed Italy’s commitment to offer a worldwide stage to explore together with Nigeria and the whole international community new solutions.

Also, ideas and strategies, in climate change, resource exploitation, urban development and major migration flows.