The federal government would work closely with other countries to increase economic opportunities and healthcare delivery to its citizens, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said on Tuesday.
Osinbajo said this when he received the Secretary-General of D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari at the Presidential Villa.“I want to congratulate you on the signing of the partnership agreement for the Health and Social Protection Programme.
This is important for us and for all D-8 countries.“We are all emerging economies, the whole question around health care, human capacity development is crucial for us, and I think it is appropriate that we devote the time and resources like we are currently doing.
“We are hopeful that you will succeed in deepening the impact of the focal areas of trade, industry, energy and tourism, in all of our countries. We are happy that, working with the other countries, we can achieve our economic objectives.
“So, we are certainly looking forward to continue to work with the D-8. We are committed to the D-8 and expect that the forthcoming summit will expand the scope of work and deepen the achievements of the D-8,” he said.
In his remark, Ambassador Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari thanked Nigeria for hosting the secretariat of the D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme.
He said implementing programmes on health and poverty alleviation was key to the agenda of the organization.He also spoke on the D-8’s forthcoming summit in Bangladesh later in the year where a new road map and plan of action for the actualization of the organization’s targets would be launched.
The D-8 countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey with a combined population of approximately 1 billion covering an area of 7.6 million square kilometres and, percent of the world’s land area.