The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to maintaining and boosting cordial diplomatic relations with the governments of the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The statement followed recent changes in visa issuance policies affecting Nigerian citizens by the two countries.
Onanuga said relevant Nigerian ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, are working to ensure that the concerns raised were tackled through appropriate and constructive channels.
DAILY POST recalls that the US government had officially communicated that its decision was based on the current rate of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals and the need for reliable access to their records.
The US government noted that the visa policy adjustment was part of its global visa reciprocity process, which is routinely reviewed and subject to change, including the number of permitted entries and validity durations.
In response to the development, Onanuga said President Bola Tinubu has mandated all federal agencies to ensure full compliance with Nigeria’s international obligations and to strengthen inter-governmental cooperation in authenticating the identities of individuals seeking consular services abroad.
Tinubu also urged all Nigerians to respect the immigration regulations of their host countries and to uphold the integrity of the permits and privileges granted to them under the laws of those jurisdictions.
Weighing in on the new conditions for issuing United Arab Emirate, UAE, transit visas to Nigerian nationals, the Federal Government explained that it had not received any formal communication from the UAE authorities regarding a revised visa policy.
“Any genuine concerns raised are being addressed through the appropriate channels, in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration.
“The current administration will continue to pursue the best possible outcomes for citizens abroad, ensuring that Nigerians can travel, work, and live with dignity and respect in any part of the world, in line with the Tinubu administration’s 4-D Foreign Policy agenda and its Diaspora plank.
“The Federal Government is commitment to deepening Nigeria’s valued bilateral relations with the Governments of the United States and the United Arab Emirates,”; the statement said.
