JANET ADEYEMI
President Bola Tinubu is set to depart France on the 2nd of December, 2024,where he concluded a state visit, for Cape Town, South Africa, to co-chair the highly anticipated 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC).
Tinubu will preside over the summit alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a statement issued on the 1st of December, 2024, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, revealed that the presidential-level BNC, scheduled for Tuesday, 3rd of December, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.
Onanuga explained that the two leaders would delve into “substantive talks on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international matters.”
Building on the outcomes of their previous engagement on the 20th of June, 2024, in Johannesburg following President Ramaphosa’s second-term inauguration, both leaders will assess progress made since the 10th BNC session held in Abuja from the 29th of November to 1st of December, 2021.
The 11th session will feature discussions across eight dedicated working groups, each addressing critical areas of cooperation: “political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments.”
Highlighting the summit’s significance, Onanuga disclosed that officials from both nations will formalize their collaboration through the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements.
“The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission, established in 1999, has been instrumental in deepening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two nations,” he noted.
Reflecting on its history, the statement detailed that the inaugural Heads of State-level session of the BNC took place in October 2019 in Pretoria.
Onanuga emphasized that the BNC remains a vital platform for fostering high-level dialogue and collaboration in critical sectors such as diplomacy, trade, security, and economic development.
“This year’s meeting is particularly significant as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa,” he added.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-ranking delegation comprising state governors, ministers, and senior government officials.
He is expected to return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the BNC summit.