PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, said that Nigeria would welcome more assistance from the European Union (EU) and other development partners in ensuring the successful conduct of the 2011 elections.

Jonathan made the remark when he received the new  EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria, Mr David Macrae, at the State House, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Macrae also presented his letters of credence to the president.

Jonathan said the international community had a keen interest in the 2011 elections because of the country's strategic importance in Africa.

President Jonathan promised that his administration would give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all the support it required to conduct elections that would meet global standards of acceptability next year.

According to him,  the Federal Government was aware of the great importance of the elections to the future stability of Nigeria and will, therefore, welcome more assistance from the EU and Nigeria’s other development partners to assure its success.

The president told Mr Macrae that the Federal Government also recognised that because of Nigeria’s strategic importance in Africa, the international community had a keen interest in the general election scheduled for early next year.

He observed that “the elections are very important and your concerns are genuine. Nigeria is very important globally because of its huge population, amongst other factors.

"A stable Nigeria will foster stability in West Africa and the rest of Africa. Successful elections next year will help us achieve greater political stability and we will appreciate further assistance from the EU for the elections,” he said.

In his remarks, Macrae promised to convey Jonathan's request to the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

He said the EU appreciated “the very important role Nigeria is playing in promoting peace and political stability in West Africa and the continent.”

The envoy also assured Jonathan that he would work diligently to foster a strategic partnership between the EU and Nigeria.

The new Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria, Mr Kyle O’Sullivan and the new Australian High Commissioner, Mr Ian McConille, also presented their letters of credence to the president on Thursday.

At separate audiences with the new envoys, President Jonathan called for improved economic cooperation between Nigeria and their countries, saying that Nigeria  particularly wished to learn from Australia’s expertise in the commercial exploitation of solid minerals.

Mr McConille assured President Jonathan that Australia was ready to support the development of Nigeria’s enormous potential in the solid minerals sector,  noting that the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Musa Mohammed Sada, was currently participating in a mining conference in Australia.

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