You’re the only African leader Biden wants to meet at UNGA, US envoy tells Tinubu

Molly Phee, US assistant secretary for African affairs, says President Bola Tinubu is the only African leader President Joe Biden wants to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.

Phee said this on Saturday when Tinubu hosted her at the Aso Rock villa.

“President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of UNGA, and you are the only African leader he has requested to meet,” Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, quoted her as saying.

On his part, Tinubu said he is working to create prosperity for Nigerians.

“Yes, the private sector will lead the way within an enabling environment we create for them, but the US Government must be innovative in its thinking and systematically create incentives for US industrial investment in Nigeria,” he said.

“Under my leadership, Nigeria stands ready to address their specific regulatory, tax and environmental concerns.

“I am determined to create prosperity for all Nigerian families.”

Tinubu said although all options are on the table to resolve the crisis in Niger Republic, war is not ideal for his economic reforms in the region as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools,” he said.

“I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms.

“War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defence of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time.”