By YANGE IKYAA
The US secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, on Tuesday spoke with his Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, who is the minister of foreign affairs, to highlight the importance that the United States places on “our relationship with Nigeria,” said his spokesperson, Ned Price.
During the discussion, Scretary Blinken outlined a holistic approach to the US-Nigeria partnership based on what he called “our shared values of democracy, respect for human rights, and robust people-to-people relations.”
Acknowledging the threats that violent extremists pose to Nigerian and regional security, he welcomed President Buhari’s recent appointment of military service chiefs to bring new approaches to combat terrorism in the northeast of the country and provide national security throughout the nation.
Blinken referenced President Biden’s revocation of immigrant visa restrictions on Nigeria as affirmation of the close ties between Americans and Nigerians. He also reiterated US support for Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as the new director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
