President Bola Tinubu is set to leave France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, where he will jointly preside over the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission with President Cyril Ramaphosa, SAVANNAH NEWSNOW REPORTS.
This was announced by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Sunday.
Onanuga said, “The presidential BNC, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.
“President Tinubu and President Ramaphosa will engage in substantive talks on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international matters.
“Building on the commitments from their June 20, 2024, meeting in Johannesburg shortly after President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office, the two leaders will review the progress achieved since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.”
The 11th session of the BNC will see discussions across eight thematic groups, each addressing a distinct area of shared interest, including political consultations, consular and migration issues, banking and finance, defense and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, as well as trade and investments.
During this high-level gathering, officials from both nations are set to sign multiple Memoranda of Understanding and agreements. Established in 1999, the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission aims to bolster the friendly relations and cooperative efforts between the two countries.
The inaugural session at the Heads of State level took place in Pretoria in October 2019. The BNC serves as a forum for maintaining high-level dialogue and fostering collaboration in key sectors such as diplomacy, economy, trade, security, and other mutual interests.
This year’s session holds particular significance as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Commission, highlighting the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa.
President Tinubu, on his second visit to South Africa in 2024 and his 33rd foreign trip since taking office 18 months ago, will be joined by a delegation of state governors, ministers, and senior government officials.
To date, the President has spent 135 days abroad, visiting 17 countries and accumulating approximately 285 flight hours, with destinations including Paris, France (five times); Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; London, the United Kingdom (four times); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Novo, Benin Republic; The Hague, Netherlands; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; and Doha, Qatar. Following the BNC meeting, he will return to the country.
