President Goodluck Jonathan has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the global fight against nuclear terrorism.
He said this at the Hague, Netherlands, where he is on an official tour. According to him, Nigeria, under his leadership, would continue to pursue efforts to harness nuclear energy and technology for socio-economic development.
At the third global security summit, Jonathan said Nigeria would continue to support efforts against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
He told the gathering that, in keeping with Nigeria’s commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the peaceful use of
nuclear technology, the Federal Government had submitted an executive bill to the National Assembly to accommodate the country’s obligations to nuclear safety and security.
He noted that one of the main objectives of the summit was to reduce the amount of dangerous nuclear materials in the world by preventing materials that can be used to produce nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists.
The president said that Nigeria supports the immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a “non-discriminatory, multi-lateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.”
He commended the United Nations Secretary- General, Ban Ki Moon, for establishing experts which will begin work in Geneva next week on the proposal. He thanked the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Mark Rutte, for hosting the summit and lauded President Barack Obama who was present at the opening ceremony “for his continued leadership of this important project”.
Other world leaders participating in the summit include President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, South Korean president, Ms. Park Geun-hye and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon.
