Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has reiterated the need for a strong mechanism that would ensure the proper implementation of bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Cote-d’Ivoire in the interest of the citizens of the two countries.
The Vice President made this remark on Monday at a meeting with the Prime Minister of Cote D’Ivoire Kaplan Duncan at his Plateau office in Abidjan capital of the cocoa nation.
He stated that, implementation of similar bilateral agreements entered into in the past were hampered by the absence of a strong mechanism and urged all parties to these Agreements to make concrete effort for the two countries to have an enduring platform that would set the momentum for the implementation of all bilateral agreements
Sambo, further said that the Invest in Cote D’ Ivoire (ICI) Forum organized by the Cote D’Ivoire government would open a window of opportunities for Nigerian investors to explore the abundant opportunities for investments in the country as over 70 Nigerian businessmen are participating in the conference. He however stressed the need for the establishment of necessary framework in the different sectors of the economy that would attract investments into the host country.
Sambo relates the Nigerian example of the cement industry where the Nigerian government established a strong framework to attract investment into the sector. Before 2010, Nigeria imports about 90% of her cement requirements and within two years from the establishment of the backward integration policy framework, the country became a Net exporter of the product. He added that similar framework had been established to stop the importation of sugar and rice into the country. He stated that already this framework had been yielding the desired results as currently Nigeria produces about 1million metric tonnes of rice per annum, which is expected to double before the end of the year and planned to stop the importation of the commodity by the end of 2015.
Speaking earlier, the Prime Minister of Cote-Divoire Kaplan Duncan called for the implementation of all bilateral agreements entered into by the two countries. He also called for the strengthening relationship in the fields of mining petroleum upstream and downstream sector and the highways.
Crucial bilateral issues were discussed at the meeting amongst which were bilateral air agreement, Oil and Gas, mining and highways.
The Vice President was expected to meet with the President of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire, Alassane Dramane Outtara, and members of the Nigerian community in the country on Tuesday.
Sambo would also address the opening session the forum organized by the Government of Cote d’Ivoire with the theme: “Invest in Cote-D’Ivoire – 2014” holding on 29th of this month in the nation’s Capital Abidjan at the invitation of the country’s Prime Minister Daniel Kabalan Duncan before returning back to Nigeria.
Nigeria and Cote-D’Ivoire have enjoyed cordial relations at the political and socio-economic fronts with high level visits by leaders of both countries. Both countries are members of the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) and the latter is the main artery for most of the trade between Nigeria and other ECOWAS countries and an important market for Nigeria’s business interest. Most Made-in-Nigeria goods made their way to other West African countries via Cote-D’Ivoire. Over the years, Nigeria has recorded surplus balance of trade with Cote-D’Ivoire and there are over 2 million Nigerian residents in Cote D’Ivoire.
The two countries have established a Bi-national commission which was signed on March 2013 during the Nigeria’s President’s visit to Cote-D’Ivoire to forge closer cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which include cultural, education and scientific cooperation; Tourism; Bilateral Trade cooperation, cooperation on fight against crime; and industrial cooperation amongst others. The commission was to be co-chaired by the Cote-D’Ivoire Prime Minister and the Nigeria’s vice President. The First bi-national commission was held in Abuja, Nigeria in August 2013 and co-chaired by the prime Minister of Cote-D’Ivoire His Excellency Daniel Kaplan where agreements/Memorandum Of Understandings (MOUs) were signed on areas of mutual cooperation and interest.
