Nigeria commits to strengthening historical ties with Saudi Arabia

The Nigerian government has reiterated its commitment to further strengthen historical bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the interest of both countries.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Session of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission on Monday in Abuja, assured Saudi Arabia that Nigeria is committed to the objective, expressing the belief that the collective endeavours of the two countries would positively impact on Nigeria-Saudi relations with a view to raising them to a strategic level. 

Dada further 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. 

“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”. 

“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 second Session of the Joint Commission is successful.”

Dada 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.

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He expressed a 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. 

Meanwhile, the Saudi-Arabian Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, and Agriculture, 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.