Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday engaged in a phone call to address the importance of safeguarding democracy in Africa.
This conversation occurred shortly after a military coup in Gabon, as indicated in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s special adviser on media and publicity.
The statement highlighted that the leaders discussed the collaboration between established democracies in Africa and emerging ones, especially in combating terrorism and poverty.
Throughout their discussion, both leaders strongly emphasized the crucial importance of upholding democratic governance as a top priority.
The two leaders also called upon the international community to promote democracy in Africa, recognizing its significance for the economic well-being of all Africans.
The spokesperson for the president mentioned that Tinubu and Trudeau also deliberated on matters related to strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including investments in Nigeria’s agro-processing industry.
He also noted that Tinubu urged the Canadian Prime Minister to foster improved military collaboration, recognizing the valuable contributions of Nigerians to Canada’s economic development.
President Tinubu further expressed his commitment to engaging with not only African Union leaders but also heads of state worldwide, to determine appropriate courses of action in response to the situation in Gabon.
“The two heads of state mutually agreed that the promotion and protection of constitutional democratic governance on the continent remains a paramount priority and that the people of Africa living in the Diaspora around the world, making a huge impact on the sociopolitical landscapes of countries around the world and the economies of countries around the world, continue to urge the global community to advance the cause of democracy on the continent for the sake of the economic prosperity of all Africans.
“So it is of frontline importance to understand that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will continue to engage with heads of state, not just within the African Union, but also around the world, and those engagements are ongoing,” Ngelale noted.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has conveyed his apprehension regarding the increasing instances of coups occurring in African nations. He has appealed for a comprehensive agreement to counteract the proliferation of “contagious autocracy” throughout the continent.
This sentiment was expressed in his initial reaction to the coup that transpired in Gabon on Wednesday.
Concurrently, the United States, United Nations, European Union, France, and the Commonwealth have all expressed worries about the unfolding political situation in the Central African country.