UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, told African leaders Monday that Britain would be more open to migrants from Africa after Brexit.
Johnson, who made this known as he hosted the first UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, told African leaders, including presidents Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt and Major General Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria that he wanted to make Britain their “investment partner of choice”.
The summit holds less than two weeks before Britain leaves the European Union.
After highlighting all that Britain has to offer, he said Brexit would mean an end to preferential treatment for EU migrants.
“Our (immigration) system is becoming fairer and more equal between all our global friends and partners, treating people the same, wherever they come from.
“By putting people before passports we will be able to attract the best talent from around the world, wherever they may be,” he said.
On his part, Buhari said Brexit offered an opportunity for increased free trade across the Commonwealth, adding that visas were a key issue.
Buhari said, “While many in the African diaspora enjoy considerable benefits from living in the West, they do not always feel at the heart of the community.
“A renewed sense that there are ties that bind us through the Commonwealth, and a concerted effort to grow those links through trade, could act as a spur to encourage togetherness and the certainty of belonging.”
(AFP)
