By Cross Udo, Abuja
Yesterday, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to expand its strategic partnership with South Africa across diverse fields, particularly in infrastructure development and capacity building in the mining sector.
Speaking at the opening of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) ministerial session in Cape Town, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria will present a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration with the South on the certification of Nigerian mining geologists and other professionals in the field.
The meeting, co-chaired by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Roland Lamola, is a precursor to Tuesday’s presidential BNC, where President Bola Tinubu and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, will jointly lead the discussion.
The Minister said, “I must stress that Nigeria is prepared to explore new vistas of cooperation with the Republic of South Africa in various fields. Apart from exploring opportunities for co-financing infrastructural projects capable of benefiting our two economies, we are seeking collaboration with South Africa in capacity development to certify Nigerian mining geologists and other professionals in that field.
“To this end, we have prepared a draft MoU for South Africa’s consideration. We hope that the derivable benefits from this arrangement will enhance the capacity of our mining professionals to become globally competitive.
The ministerial session will agree on the minutes from the working groups on the thematic areas and a draft communique to be adopted at the presidential level BNC.
The key areas under discussion include trade and investment, political consultations, consular and migration matters, defence and security cooperation, and collaboration in banking, energy, manufacturing, and the social sector.
She urged the delegates to the meeting to maintain a high spirit until the end of the process while underscoring the strategic nature of Nigeria-South Africa bilateral relations and a shared belief in their common destiny as leading economies on the continent.
This year’s Bi-National Commission marks the 25th anniversary of the framework established to strengthen ties between Africa’s two leading economies.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation emphasized the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, which have existed for 30 years. These ties follow decades of Nigeria’s relentless support for the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
He said, “This is a gesture we will always cherish.”
The Minister called for expanding trade relations within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to reflect the potential for growth.
The Minister assured that South Africa’s upcoming G20 presidency in 2025 will serve as an avenue to project African developmental priorities.
