The newly appointed Ambassadors appreciated Mr President for the recognition, which they said would spur them to do more in projecting the good image of Nigeria.
Mr Kabiru Musa, Charge D’affaires, Nigerian Embassy in Libya, said the gesture would help to deepen collaborations with host countries and facilitate engagements with Nigeria especially in security and economic development.
Musa, who also gave the vote of thanks on behalf of other recipients, gave assurance that they would give their all to deliver on the foreign policy thrust of the government, and the core mandates of the Ministry.
“I am extremely happy because this is what we all aspire to be. Because it is a mandate that we have, we will project the image of Nigeria, protect its image.
“With the policy of the government to diversify our economy, we will look for investment.
“We have a lot of youth that are unemployed, so this is a good opportunity for us to work harder, and make sure that we get the necessary investors that will be interested in coming into Nigeria.
“We will also seek partnership and cooperation of outside world those that have experience and expertise especially in the fight against insecurity that we are facing in the country.
“We have a citizen diplomacy, which means taking care of our brothers and sisters outside, so we are there for them,” Musa said.
Speaking, Amb. Ibiyemi Ajiboye-Roberts pledged to use her position ensure Nigerians get better treatment in diaspora.
“Oh, I need to work harder. I need to put Nigeria on the world map in positive ways, ways. I also need to you know, make our citizens outside there feel more comfortable relating with us in the embassies abroad.
“We have to put in new policies to help strengthen the nation’s policies, especially in terms of foreign affairs,” Ajiboye-Roberts said.
Also, Amb. Saidu Dahiru-Mohammed said that the Nigerian state had done a lot in the globally, especially with a foreign policy centered on Africa, pledging commitments to making Nigeria’s foreign policy to be at par with developed countries.
“This government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is already doing a lot and what we will do is to ask for more, because the Nigerian foreign policy has always been centred on our African brothers.
We are not doing badly, Nigeria is already doing well. There is a need for us to strengthen more on this relationship if possible.
“The most important aspect that I want is to see a foreign service that is at par with any country of the world need America or Europe or China. I want us to be at par with these countries,” Dahiru-Mohammed said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Sadiya Hamza