NIGERIA: German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja

Record ID: 234596

  • Title: NIGERIA: German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja
  • Date: 15th July 2011
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (JULY 14, 2011) (REUTERS) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL'S MOTORCADE ARRIVING AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA MERKEL BEING WELCOMED BY NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN MERKEL INSPECTING A GUARD OF HONOUR MERKEL SHAKING HANDS WITH NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MERKEL AND JONATHAN POSING FOR THE CAMERAS NEWS CONFERENCE OF MERKEL AND JONATHAN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Nigeria can assume that the Europeans will do everything that the euro will remain a stable and strong currency and that is why it wasn't part of the bilateral talks but that is an issue that we must tackle at home. And regarding a possible meeting of the heads of states so we can decide on a new programme for Greece, you know that we are working on it and we have no time limit yet but but the finance ministers already said that it has to happen very fast but it also has to be done properly." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN SAYING: "We agreed strongly that we'll be meeting from time to time to discuss the two nations so that they'll be able move faster. We have a lot of .. signed in the energy sector, one of the key area that the German government has played a key role, also in gas sector." VARIOUS OF MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "I would like to point out that Germany regards the involvement of Nigeria in the peacekeeping measures on the African continent with great respect as well as its leading role in ECOWAS and Germany will continue to support Nigeria as much as it can in this endeavour." WIDE PRESSER
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAF3VH59G3VZPVPY35BDKGHSN6
  • Story Text: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday (July 14) met with Nigeria's president Goodluck Jonathan after her visits to Angola and Kenya.
    Merkel inspected a guard of honour on her arrival at the presidential villa in the capital Abuja, before heading for bilateral talks with her host.
    Later she told a joint a press briefing with Jonathan that they had discussed matters of regional security and investments in energy and how to improve ties between the two nations.
    Merkel who is facing stiff political opposition back at home said that the crisis facing the Euro would have to be solved by the European Union and that there would be a major summit to discus the matter.
    "Nigeria can assume that the Europeans will do everything that the euro will remain a stable and strong currency and that is why it wasn't part of the bilateral talks but that is an issue that we must tackle at home. And regarding a possible meeting of the heads of states so we can decide on a new programme for Greece, you know that we are working on it and we have no time limit yet but but the finance ministers already said that it has to happen very fast but it also has to be done properly," Merkel said.
    She also said that Germany will increase its involvement in Nigeria's liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry as Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation looks to take advantage of its vast gas reserves.
    Nigeria, with the world's eighth-largest gas reserves, has one of the world's biggest LNG plants on Bonny Island in the onshore wetland creeks of the Niger Delta.
    But crude oil production has been the government's focus and much of the country's gas reserves are untapped.
    Nigeria's long delayed Brass LNG project reopened bids for engineering, procurement and construction contracts this week. Brass LNG shareholders include energy firms Eni , ConocoPhillips and Total.
    Jonathan who won the April elections deemed to be the fairest the country has ever had said Nigeria would continue to seek partnerships as it endeavours to strengthen its economy.
    "We agreed strongly that we'll be meeting from time to time to discuss the two nations so that they'll be able move faster. We have a lot of .. signed in the energy sector, one of the key area that the German government has played a key role, also in gas sector."
    Merkel said that Germany would continue to support Nigeria's crucial role in peace keeping efforts throughout the continent and elsewhere.
    "I would like to point out that Germany regards the involvement of Nigeria in the peacekeeping measures on the African continent with great respect as well as its leading role in ECOWAS and Germany will continue to support Nigeria as much as it can in this endeavour."
    Nigeria has in the past deployed peacekeepers to Sierra Leone, Liberia and now Darfur in Sudan.
    The German government announced plans in May to keep offline permanently eight nuclear power plants, which contribute around 40 percent of its nuclear capacity, and to shut all remaining plants by 2022 -- a move that will increase its demand for gas.
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