Visit of President Shagari of Nigeria White House Statement.

President Carter and President Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria met this morning at the White House for a comprehensive and cordial discussion of bilateral and international issues of mutual concern. They were accompanied by senior foreign affairs advisers, including on the U.S. side, Secretary of State Edmund S. Muskie, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Zbigniew Brzezinski, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Richard M. Moose, and U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Stephen Low. Minister of External Affairs Ishaya Audu and Ambassador to the United States Olujimi Jolaoso were among those who accompanied President Shagari.

In reviewing bilateral relations, the Presidents discussed the U.S.-Nigerian Joint Agricultural Consultative Committee, which was established as a result of the fifth bilateral economic talks in Lagos in July 1980. President Shagari will meet tomorrow, October 8, with the American members of this Committee, which was created to encourage joint investment in Nigerian agriculture. Both Presidents expressed satisfaction with the progress in this field and reaffirmed their commitment to promote further extensive agricultural cooperation. In addition, they explored other means of diversifying and strengthening bilateral relations in trade, investment, science, and technology.

President Carter and President Shagari also discussed priority items in African and international affairs, with particular attention to the hostilities in the Sahara and the continuing effort to bring about a peaceful transfer of power to majority rule in Namibia and South Africa, as well as the impact of events in the Middle East.