In a bid to mend ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and address the resulting travel and visa complications, President Bola Tinubu has urged for an immediate resolution to the diplomatic dispute.
Following the suspension of flights by Emirates airline due to difficulties repatriating funds from Nigeria as a result of foreign exchange restrictions, the UAE ceased issuing visas to Nigerian citizens last year.
Emirates had previously expressed its efforts to engage in dialogue with Nigerian authorities to find a mutually beneficial solution but stated that progress had not been made.
During a meeting with the UAE Ambassador, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, at the state house in Abuja, President Tinubu emphasized the urgency of resolving the matter. He further expressed his willingness to intervene personally in order to seek a resolution.
“We must view these issues as internal family matters that require amicable resolutions… It is crucial that we work together and find common ground on critical aviation and immigration matters,” President Tinubu stated.
Ambassador Al-Shamsi highlighted his ongoing efforts to negotiate 24 agreements with the Nigerian government, assuring that these “minor” issues would be effectively resolved in a manner befitting an internal family affair.
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