Sokoto is deepening economic and cultural ties with Arab and Middle East countries in order to tap from shared values and ensure rapid development of its people, Governor Aminu Tambuwal has said.
Speaking after a dinner organised in his honour by the Embassy of Kuwait in Abuja Sunday night, Tambuwal said Sokoto shares historical and cultural ties with many Middle East nations and will move to consolidate such ties for future prosperity.
According to him, the dinner, which had in attendance envoys from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has provided avenue for officials to explore areas of cooperation in addition to concretising earlier ones signed by their governments.
“This gathering provided us with an opportunity to discuss areas of interest with envoys from the three countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Specifically, we discussed issues pertaining to improving healthcare delivery in Sokoto, educational advancement of our people, improvement of agriculture using modern techniques and deepening cultural ties.
“We made it clear that we are serious and at the same open to new ideas. We hope to take the discussions further and ensure the benefits of the interactions have started yielding results as soon as possible,” the Governor was quoted as saying through a statement issued by his spokesman, Imam Imam, in Sokoto Monday.
Tambuwal added that Sokoto will continue to explore areas of cooperation with all countries willing to partner with it for the development of the state.
“By saying we are open for business, we are inviting all persons and groups willing, both local and international, to come and explore the potential in our state. We have areas of competitive advantage. We are peaceful and have enough landmass to support agriculture and mining,” he added.
