By John Okeke
The 2nd Session of the Joint Commission of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia opened today in Abuja .
The two countries have committed to further strengthen all aspects of the long standing bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefits of the two countries.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Second Session of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission in Abuja. , the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, assured Saudi Arabia that Nigeria is committed to the objective, expressing the belief that the collective endeavors of the two countries would positively impact on Nigeria-Saudi relations with a view to raising them to a strategic level.
He explained that by hosting the 2nd Session of the Joint Commission today, Nigeria which attaches great importance to her relations with the Kingdom, is demonstrating her strong and unwavering commitment to further boost and elevate the existing historical ties binding the two Countries to a new height.
He recalled that the two friendly countries signed the General Agreement for Cooperation between them on October 20, 2003 in order to promote mutually beneficial cooperation for both parties, and this birthed the establishment of the Nigeria-Saudi Joint Commission.
Speaking further, he said, “We thank the Kingdom for hosting the First Session of the Commission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 11th -12th March, 2013. The 2nd Session which was supposed to have been held two years later could not take place until now due to a number of reasons, including the recent pandemic. It can further be recalled that during the First Session, a number of MoUs and Agreements covering various aspects of bilateral cooperation were signed by the two sides.
“We hereby also affirm our determination to ensure that these relations are transformed into a win-win partnership for our mutual benefits. I further wish to assure you, Honourable Deputy Minister and esteemed members of your delegation, of our full commitment to cooperate with you throughout this meeting to ensure that the 2nd Session of the Joint Commission is successful”, he said.
Furthermore, he urged the Senior Officials and Experts of both Countries to adopt a spirit of cooperation and flexibility while proceeding with the important task of negotiation of the various MoUs/Agreements, with a view to concluding and signing these long delayed Agreements/MoUs at the end of the Joint Commission meeting.
He expressed firm belief that the two countries and people are eager for the Session to produce the desired positive outcome which will bring a new era in Nigeria-Saudi cooperation as they also create the necessary mechanism for the implementation of these agreed frameworks with minimum delay.
For his part, the Saudi-Arabian Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, and Agriculture, Engr. Ahmad Al-Khamshi, said his country places great importance on the General Agreement on Cooperation signed between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in 2003 and the meetings of the Saudi-Nigerian Joint Committee, which he said, constitutes the effective tool in implementing the agreement and laying the specific foundations for enhancing economic, commercial, investment, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
Accordingly, he stated that emphasis must be given to activate the work of both the agreement and the joint committee through the development of effective mechanisms and programs to implement what emanates from the meetings of this Committee, and to continuously review and follow-up through dialogue, consultation and communication between the competent authorities in both countries to implement it, as well as removing obstacles and to learn lessons to develop joint cooperation in the interest of both countries.
In his words, “This Meeting represents a practical approach in the path set for enhancing cooperation between our two countries, as there are many promising opportunities for cooperation in several fields, including trade, investment and technology. Among these opportunities was the G20 Financing for Sustainable Development Initiative to which was launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during its G20 presidency. Saudi Arabia and Nigeria teams are working on this matter.
“I also highlight the great importance of the role of the private sector in implementing economic cooperation projects related to trade and investment exchange. For this reason, we give priority to the leading participation of the private sector in both countries. We hope that this sector will have the appropriate and stimulating atmosphere for its effective participation in translating the available economic opportunities into practical projects of benefit to our two countries”, he said.
While wishing the meeting success in its deliberations, he expressed hopes that they will reach the required recommendations in developing and deepening relations in various fields, especially economic cooperation and trade exchange between the two countries for the benefit of all.
