 President Muhammad Ubarri has called for international support to ramp up development efforts in the Niger Basin area, which is currently home to more than 160 million people who depend on the river for their livelihoods. Ubarri said this in Abuja on Thursday, while declaring open the virtual 12th summit of heads of state and government of the Niger Basin Authority. As we come to the end of our deliberations, permit any accelerations and dear colleagues, to express my deep appreciation and gratitude for your attendance, contributions, during this summit and more importantly, your unwavering support and co-operation during my five-year tenure as chairman of Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Authority. Let me also congratulate my dear brother, His Excellency, President of the Republic of Virginia, on his appointment as the next chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authority. We have uttered most confidence in the ability to steer the affairs of the Niger Basin Authority. I want to commend the action of President Ubarri, who, on behalf of Nigeria, over this period, to make sure that the principles which we have just had on the issue of the introduction of sectarianism, we will be able to fill with this in a fair, fundamental way to allow for our organization to be at the present level of sectarianism, because we have set a rotation which will enable us to put forward the best offices for our country. I wish a long life to the FDA and I hope to count on your support so they will be able to really take the initiative. Thank you.