THE Lagos State Government and United States (U.S.) Consulate, Lagos have pledged to collaborate on areas of mutual interest.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the new U.S. Consul-General in Lagos Ms. Claire Pierangelo made the pledge yesterday when the latter visited the governor at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
The U.S. diplomat said the visit was to strengthen the consulate’s working relationship with the state government, noting that the U.S. Consulate had been a “great partner” of the government.
The visit was Ms. Pierangelo’s first official call on any Nigerian public officer since she arrived in Nigeria.
The new envoy succeeded Mr. John F. Bray and assumed duty on May 29 – the day Sanwo-Olu was sworn in.
She said: “I am here today on a visit to a friend of the U.S. government and our strategic development partner in Africa. We have had good working relationship and we believe this could be further strengthened for greater impacts on areas of collaborations.
“I am delighted to meet the Lagos State Governor with whom I started work on the same day. Maintaining a cordial relationship with Lagos government is critical to the success of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria. In the coming days, we will be sharing our plans on how to strengthen our shared partnership for the future.”
She said avenue for cooperation with Lagos government include the areas of education, health and security, reiterating American government’s commitment to deepen bilateral relationship with Nigeria through “active collaborations”.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos and the U.S. Consulate shared a long history of collaboration that were beneficial to both parties.
He said his administration would not hesitate to welcome any plan that would further improve the partnership the state has had with the American government.
Ms Pierangelo was accompanied on the visit by the consulate’s Political Chief, Mr. Osman Tat, and Protocol Aide, Mary-Anne Onwuchekwa.
