Mr Kalilou Traore, Amb. of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, says the 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will create relevant platform for his country to further deepen cooperation with Nigeria.
Traore made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, in view of the country’s preparation to host the AFCON tournament from Jan. 14 to Feb. 13, 2024.
This, according to him, has become necessary for the two countries to harness the opportunity to further deepen diplomatic ties between them.
“The AFCON is also a big occasion for us to deepen cooperation. We will strengthen fraternity between our two countries.
“People who go to watch football matches will not just only see the matches, they will meet other people and will do business also.
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“So, we as an Embassy, we are organising with our partners, we are packaging for those who want to participate in Abidjan at AFCON.
“We also will organise here in Nigeria ‘Fan-zone’ where people will come to see the match. So, we are working on all these promotions cum partnership with Nigerian-authorities and all those private association of tour operations.
“Now, I can say and I am very proud to say that the relationship between Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria is very good.”
The governments of Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire had as of Aug. 1, 2013 signed a Bi-National Commission Framework Agreement to pave way for both countries to clearly define their priorities and goals towards sustainable economic, social and political relations.
The envoy said that leaders of both countries at levels of Heads of State and Heads of Ministries have mutual relationship, saying: “We have strong agreement, many agreements between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire government”.
“Also, between Nigeria Business Association, like Chamber of Commerce and their counterparts in Côte d’Ivoire.
“Next year, we are supposed to have the Joint Commission between our two countries, where the officials will meet and review where we have the implementation of priorities or may be sign other agreements.
“We cooperate in many areas, in the area of investment of course, trade, peace and security, where we review Ivorian people coming here to be trained in defence college here and also, Nigerian officers go to Côte d’Ivoire.
“So, we are working in several areas like agriculture.” (NAN)
