PRESIDENT JONATHAN URGES AFRICAN LEADERS TO WORK HARDER TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL STABILITY

President Goodluck Jonathan pledged Friday in Yamoussoukro, Cote D'Ivoire that he will continue to work with President Alassane Ouattara and other leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to achieve greater peace, security, political stability and economic prosperity in the sub-region.
Speaking at the City Hall after being presented with the keys to the city by its Mayor, Konan Ouanigbe Jean, President Jonathan said that African leaders must carry on doing their best to foster greater political stability and accelerate economic growth within their countries and across the continent as no significant progress can be attained without stable governance structures and stronger national economies.
President Jonathan who formally began his State Visit to Cote D'Ivoire earlier in the day noted that there was an intrinsic link and a symbiotic relationship between political stability and economic development.
"Without political stability our economies cannot grow and stronger economies will help us achieve greater political stability. We need to strengthen ECOWAS by strengthening our individual countries economically and politically. We must continue to do our best in this regard," President Jonathan said.
The President thanked the Mayor and people of Yamoussoukro for honouring him and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan with the freedom of the home town of late President Felix Houphouet-Boigny who he described as "one of Africa's greatest sons".
Noting that Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire already have excellent bilateral relations, President Jonathan assured the people of the city that he will work in partnership with President Ouattara "to bring our two countries even closer politically and economically".
He welcomed the offer of admission by the elite Felix Houphouet-Boigny National Polytechnic in Yamoussoukro to 50 Nigerian students in the next academic year as a further gesture of friendship, saying that the Federal Government will sponsor at least one student from each state of the nation to take up the offer.
The President had after a colourful welcoming ceremony in the city, proceeded to lay a wreath at the burial vault of late President Houphouet-Boigny.
Formal bilateral talks will be held between Nigerian and Ivorian government delegations in Abidjan tomorrow. President Jonathan will also address the Ivorian Parliament there and meet with Nigerians resident in Cote D'Ivoire before returning to Nigeria later in the day.
 
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 1, 2013
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN