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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for stronger emphasis on people-to-people relations between South Africa and Nigeria to evolve a bond that would be of benefit to both countries and the continent.
President Buhari, who stated this when he received President Cyril Ramaphosa in Abuja, yesterday, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to improving a special relationship’ with South Africa, which would translate into gains for the continent, particularly in education, science, trade and investment, tourism and security.
At the 10th session of Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), President Buhari said: “Mr. President, permit me to state that some of the challenges identified during the last Bi-National Commission (BNC) have not been completely addressed. We need to ensure that our people-to-people relations are enhanced to a point where there would be no need for unhealthy competition. In this regard, we need improvement in educational and scientific cooperation, mines and energy resources, transport and aviation, tourism, youth exchange programmes, trade and investment and military cooperation, to mention but a few.”
The Nigeria leader told ministers and government delegates of both countries that their strong bond of brotherhood would be of great benefit to Africa as a catalyst for economic, technological, social and cultural development and as a force for peace and security on the continent.
“Let me at this point reiterate my commitment to ensure that the special relationship between our two countries is continually strengthened.’’
He said it was fulfilling that despite all the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the BNC held on schedule.
“It is also gratifying to observe that this has been brought about by the dogged commitment of senior officials from our countries. More importantly, it is gratifying to note that despite the pandemic, our timelines for implementing some decisions of the ninth BNC have been met.
“Similarly, discussions are ongoing on new and important areas of cooperation between our two countries. I must commend the honourable ministers and senior officials of both our governments for their sustained effort in breathing life into the bilateral agreements between our countries.
“I am aware that the senior officials meeting and ministerial meetings which preceded this presidential BNC were successfully concluded,’’ he further maintained.
At the end of the summit, President Buhari expressed his delight at its successful conclusion, calling it, “heartwarming and a source of great pride that we have been able to further cement the special bond of fraternal friendship between our two countries.”
He also remarked that the agreement on Early Warning Mechanism would “improve the people-to-people relations of our two countries.
“Similarly, our two countries have established high level official communication channels for diplomatic consultations, trade and investment, and will, shortly, inaugurate the Nigeria – South Africa Youth Dialogue. I am confident that these vehicles of engagement and cooperation will serve our mutual interests.”
He applauded Ramaphosa for initiating the Nigeria-South Africa Youth Dialogue, which he described as another veritable tool for interaction among our youth with the aim of creating shared values and aspirations.
He added that the inauguration of the Joint Ministerial Advisory Council on Industry, Trade and Investment, would enable the private sectors of the two largest economies in Africa to further promote economic cooperation and development.
“We appreciate that we need to do much more to achieve further integration of our two economies and take full advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
President Ramaphosa thanked the leaders of Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal for expressing their dissatisfaction with the travel ban imposed on South Africa and sister neighbouring countries in the aftermath of the discovery of the Omicron COVID-19 variant by South African scientists.
He described travel bans imposed on his country and its neighbours over the new coronavirus variant Omicron as harsh and unfair.
“President Buhari, the solidarity expressed by yourself and the government of Nigeria sends the strongest message. It says that as African countries, we are standing united against the imposition of arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions that are not only unscientific, but counterproductive in the long run. Indeed, the leaders of Cote d’Ivoire where we are traveling to later today, as well as the leaders of Ghana and Senegal, have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the travel ban against South Africa and our sister countries in southern Africa.
“This is a global pandemic. And overcoming it requires that we collaborate and work together as a collective. The resulting damage to this travel ban to the economies of the countries affected will be considerable and long lasting. So, I want to use this opportunity to once again call on the countries who have imposed this ban to reverse their decisions, whether they are in the northern, more developed economies or in other parts of our continent and elsewhere.”
