Mansur-Dan-Ali Defence Minister
Mansur-Dan-Ali Defence Minister
Nigeria, South Africa Strengthen Security
Partnership
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa
has said Nigeria established the Defence Industries Association
(DIAN), to enhance collaboration with the South African aerospace
and military technology company DENEL.
She made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the 4th
Nigeria-South Africa Defence Committee Meeting (DEFCOM) held in
Abuja.
Mrs Nuratu Batagarawa who said that Nigeria now has a fully
functional Defence Industries Association known as Defence
Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN), recollects that a
bilateral agreement was signed by Nigeria and South Africa in the
exchange of experiences on Peace Keeping Operations, border
safeguarding and security, cyber security, army aviation and
collaboration in the field of military health.
She said, “Today’s meeting is therefore expected to leverage on
the gains of our previous DEFCOM in order to sustain the momentum
of our success. The Nigerian delegation has arrayed five thematic
working groups with discussants on Research, Development and
Innovative of Defence Equipment; Specialized Military Training;
Capacity Building in Space Defence Technology; Medical Training and
Defence Personnel and Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency. On
the part of MOD, we have equally identified some areas of
collaboration which would be discussed during this meeting.”
In his remarks, Secretary of South Africa’s Ministry of Defence
& Military Veterans, Dr Sam Gulube, who was represented by a
Defence Chief in South Africa, Amb. Bagumzi Sifingo, commended the
Nigerian Military on its gallant contributions towards peacekeeping
globally.
He remarked that “Modernisation of technology of defence
industries of various countries is currently in vogue and Nigeria
and South Africa must not be seen lagging behind. When our
collaborative efforts become operational, DICON will have the
capacity to produce some of the modern military hardwares within
the country.
The event also witnessed the exhibition of military wares and
equipments by both Nigeria and South African Defence Related
Industries (DRIs) at the Command Officers’ Mess Asokoro, Abuja.
By PRNigeria