Jonathan, Zenawi Call On Libya’s NTC To Ensure Safety For African Migrants

President Goodluck Jonathan

Oct 8, 2011 – Jonathan, Zenawi Call On Libya’s NTC To Ensure Safety For African Migrants

President Goodluck Jonathan and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia Friday in Addis Ababa called on the National Transition Council (NTC) in Libya to take urgent action to guarantee the safety of thousands of African migrants currently trapped in parts of the country.

 According to a joint communiqué issued after their meeting in the Ethiopian capital, President Jonathan and his host regretted the continued violence and loss of lives in Libya caused by resistance by Muammar Ghaddafi’s loyalists to the consolidation of the NTC’s authority.
While applauding the recognition of the NTC by the African Union, the two leaders urged the council to move quickly to form an all-inclusive government that will work towards national reconciliation and reconstruction.

President Jonathan and Prime Minister Zenawi also urged the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Jean Ping, to “engage more vigorously with the National Transition Council and take steps to ensure an early resumption of full participation by Libya in African Union Affairs”.

They condemned the growing global terrorism in all its forms and agreed to join hands with the international community to fight the common threat to humanity. President Jonathan and Prime Minister Zenawi also agreed on the need to expand areas of economic cooperation between Nigeria and Ethiopia through the provision of an enabling environment and an appropriate regulatory framework.

They agreed to encourage and promote private sector participation in their two economies, particularly in the areas of power, energy, aviation, tourism and mining.

To this end, agreement was also reached by both leaders to revitalise their Joint Ministerial Commission and reposition it as a key vehicle for the expansion of bilateral economic cooperation. Nigeria is to host the next session of the commission early next year.  The Nation