The 9th Session
The 9th Session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National
Commission (NSABNC) scheduled to hold between 2nd October to 4th
October, 2019 commenced today.
The meeting took off with a Ministerial Session at the
Conference Room of OR Tambo Building, Rietondale, Pretoria, in
preparation for the Thursday, 3rd October Bi-National Commission
Session that would have the Presidents of both countries in
attendance.
The Ministerial Session which was co-chaired by the South
African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr
Naledi Pandor and the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey
Onyeama, received, analyzed and adopted the submission of the
outcome of the meeting of Senior Officials from both countries
which took place on the 26th and 27th September, 2019.
The Senior Officials during their meeting reviewed the
performance of the existing MoUs between the two countries and
proposed a 2-year implementation plan to commence effectively from
January 2020 to December 2022 and agreed on nine (9) areas of
cooperation.
The Ministerial Session which comprised of Nigeria Ministers of
Foreign Affairs, Mines and Steel Development, Interior, Police
Affairs, Trade and investment as well as Defence and their
counterparts from South Africa approved the nine (9) areas of
cooperation between the two countries as submitted by the Senior
Officials.
Mineral Beneficiation and Processing; Minerals & Metals
Value Addition; Advancement of Geo-Scientific Knowledge Generation;
Regulatory Framework and Policy and Investment Promotion are among
the nine (9) areas of cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa
as proposed by the Senior Officials of the two countries.
Others items in the agenda include: Joint Study Tour on ASM
activities; Contribution to Energy Security; Capacity Building; as
well as Contribution to Agriculture and Food Security.
Dr Naledi Pandor in her speech congratulated the Senior
Officials of both countries for the progress made at their meeting
and promised to present the resolution to the Presidents of the two
countries. She commended the two countries for their readiness to
ensure that the partnership and cooperation between the two
countries would be result oriented and serve the interest of the
citizens of the two countries.
In his remarks, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey
Onyeama
in his speech said Nigeria is determined to work very closely
and develop the existing relationship between the two
countries.
The deliverables of the Bi-National engagement according to him,
“will strengthen the relationship between the two countries,
identifying priorities, we have so much to share and to learn from
each other and together, hand-in-hand, walking forward, we are
absolutely certain that we will achieve the goals that we have set
for ourselves, a goal of re-appropriation and promoting sustainable
development in our two countries.”
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan
Adegbite in a chat with the media said the meeting was timely and
mutually beneficial as it provided opportunity for the two
countries to discuss cooperation on different sector, particularly
the Mines and Steel Sector.
Speaking on the outcome of the Ministerial Session, Adegbite
said, both countries acknowledged that they need to work together.
“South Africa just discovered crude oil and they need our
experience in terms of petroleum exploration especially offshore
while they are very advanced in mining and we are learning from
them to avoid pitfalls that they had, we need to understand the
steps they are taking especially in terms of environmental
degradation, how mining can be properly done without salvaging the
environment, it is really a symbiotic relationship,” he
reiterated.
The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the
Government of the Republic of South Africa in October, 1999
established a Bi-National Commission (BNC) called Nigeria-South
Africa Bi-National Commission (NSABNC) as a mechanism for a
sustaining bi-lateral High-level dialogue to promote and increase
cooperation in diplomatic, economic, security and other areas of
mutual interest.
The commission was established to among other goals; promote and
coordinate foreign policy, economic, commercial, technical, social
and cultural co-operation between the governments; to address the
areas of mutual interest or concern and develop strategies tackling
these issues with assistant and coordination from both
Governments.
Idowu Jokpeyibo
For: Director Press