Nigeria on Monday sought South Africa’s support for its bid to attain full membership in the G20, BRICS, and the BRICS New Development Bank.
Nigeria is also seeking South Africa’s support for it to assume leadership roles in thematic discussions of interest under South Africa’s G20 presidency.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the request during her closing remarks at the ministerial session of the 11th Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission in Cape Town, South Africa.
South Africa officially assumed the presidency of the Group of 20, a club including the world’s wealthiest nations on December 1.
The expanded BRICS, which South Africa is also a member, boasts of being the engine of global economic growth in recent years, accounting for about 37 per cent of the world’s GDP.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace, Ojukwu urged South Africa to lend its support in accelerating the peace process in Sudan.
She said President Bola Tinubu, who is a member of the ad-hoc mediation committee established by the African Union, has prioritised resolving the crisis to foster peace and stability in the region.
“We are strongly committed to seeking a resolution of the crisis in Sudan and this guise, we seek South Africa’s support to further accelerate the peace process and to ensure that within our region, conflicts are de-escalated.
‘‘We can hope that with peace, greater progress and development can be achieved across all spheres,’’ she said.
The minister lauded the officials of both countries for working hard to present the draft communique and facilitate amendments and submissions raised at the ministerial session of the BNC.
The draft communiqué and agreed minutes will be presented to Tinubu and President Cyril Ramaphosa at the presidential BNC session on Tuesday in Cape Town.
In his response, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Roland Lamola, affirmed that South Africa would amplify Africa’s voice during its G20 presidency and ‘noted Nigeria’s requests.”
“We will count on Nigeria’s wise counsel as we assume this major responsibility,” he said.
Lamola, who co-chaired the BNC session, emphasized the mutual resolve to deepen dynamic and vibrant bilateral relations.
‘‘Our people expect South Africa and Nigeria, given our common roots, to continue working together and more closely so that their conditions and prospects are improved and the quality of life is enhanced,” he said.
Lamola also highlighted priority areas of collaboration, including trade, investment, tourism, health, education, agriculture, ICT, artificial intelligence, arts and culture, climate change, defense, and security.
He stressed the importance of expediting the finalisation and implementation of outstanding agreements under the BNC framework.
The ministerial meeting sets the stage for the high-level engagement between Presidents Tinubu and Ramaphosa, where key agreements will be signed and initiatives to strengthen the strategic partnership between Nigeria and South Africa unveiled.
At the opening of the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed Nigeria’s commitment to expanding its strategic partnership with South Africa across diverse fields, particularly in infrastructure development and capacity building in the mining sector.
She said Nigeria will present a draft Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration with 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, Lamola is a precursor to Tuesday’s presidential BNC where Tinubu and Ramaphosa will jointly lead the discussion
Odumegwu-Ojukwu 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 in the co-financing of infrastructural projects capable of benefiting our two economies, we are seeking collaboration with South Africa in capacity development in the area of certification of Nigerian mining geologists and other professionals in that field.
“To this end, we have prepared a draft MOU for the consideration of South Africa. We hope that the derivable benefits from this arrangement would help to 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.
Bianca-Ojukwu 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.
“The BNC owes a lot of promises for the future of Nigeria and South Africa relations, and we have got many more miles to go. Let us, therefore, approach it with zest and faith.
“Together, we shall win for our respective countries and Africa.
“I look forward to working alongside my co-chair, Honorable Lamola to make today’s proceedings and that of our principals a resounding success,” she said.
Nigeria’s delegation to the ministerial meeting includes Ministers of State, Defence, Women Affairs, Industry Trade and Investments, Agriculture and Food Security, Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, alongside the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service.
They were joined by their South African counterparts and senior government officials from both nations.
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 emphasised the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, which have existed for 30 years, following decades of Nigeria’s relentless support for the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.
“This is a gesture we will always cherish,” Lamola said.
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