No Adequate Infrastructure, No Sustainable Development— Buhari Says At China Meeting

Sustainable development is impossible when a country is struggling with severe infrastructural deficits, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President made the remark on Tuesday when he received Mr Wang Yi, the State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

“We thank China for its support to us in various ways; in the building of rail, road, power, defence, and many others; you are helping us to reduce our severe infrastructural deficits, and we are glad.

“There cannot be sustainable development without infrastructural development,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

President Buhari also pledged that Nigeria would continue to honour its obligations in the relationship with China, saying Nigeria was grateful for the “big difference” it has made.

On his part, Yi commended what he called the “mutual trust and sound personal friendship” between President Buhari and President Xi Jinping of China.

According to him, the trust and friendship between the two leaders have guided the bilateral relationship between their countries.

The Chinese minister stated that his country would love to begin the year’s diplomatic work from Africa.

He added that Nigeria has been chosen as the first port of call in 2021, since the year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the African country and China.

Yi described Nigeria as a country with great regional and international influence, saying, “We trust, understand and support each other. We will continue to value each other.”

He informed the President that his country would encourage Chinese companies to increase their investments in Nigeria, and the government would also readily share experience and techniques in areas like digital economy, defence, and many others.