President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to continue his diplomatic engagements by traveling to Cape Town, South Africa, from France on Monday to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Tinubu is currently in France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, where he has been participating in high-level discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral and international relations.
According to a statement from his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the Bi-National Commission will formally commence on Tuesday, December 3, following a ministerial meeting scheduled for December 2 at the South African Parliament in Cape Town.
The BNC serves as a critical platform for Nigeria and South Africa to deepen their cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, security, and cultural exchange. As two of Africa’s largest economies, their partnership is essential for driving growth and stability across the continent.
“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,” the statement read.
Onanuga noted that Tinubu and Ramaphosa will hold discussions on a variety of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
“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,” he stated.
The two leaders will also review the progress made since their last meeting on June 20, 2024, in Johannesburg, shortly after President Ramaphosa’s re-election. They will assess achievements since the 10th session of the BNC, which was held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.
Discussions during the BNC will span eight working groups focusing on key areas of cooperation, including political consultations, migration, banking, defense and security, manufacturing, social development, mining and energy, and trade and investments.
Onanuga added that the two nations would formalize their collaboration by signing several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements during the event.
Established in 1999, the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission aims to enhance the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
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