Nigeria and Thailand have agreed to double trade between the two countries from the current level of $1.5 billion to $3 billion in the next five years.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, while briefing newsmen at the end of a political consultation in Abuja between him and the visiting Deputy Prime Minister who, doubles as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Surapong Tovicchakchaikul.
Both Ministers, after consultations, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultations between the two countries.
According to Ashiru, the MoU is expected to deepen and expand the level of political consultations between both countries on matters of regional and international interest.
Also, part of the agreement reached is that Thailand will assist Nigeria’s quest to boost rice production locally by assisting to develop the nation’s processing ability in rice and cassava, with a view to adding value to the country’s agricultural production.
Thailand equally agreed to assist in the area of solid minerals.
To reciprocate the gesture, Nigeria on its part will provide teachers in English Language to Thailand under the Technical Aid Corps programme.
Other agreements reached are support for Nigeria’s quest for the United Nations non-permanent Security Council seat, as well as for the position of President of the Governing Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
The Ministers also discussed the implementation of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement; cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries; Development Cooperation, including technical assistance and exchange of volunteers; relations with ECOWAS; and the sharing of experiences on Thai Healthcare Delivery System, among others.
Ambassador Ashiru spoke further: “This is the first visit by a high ranking Government minister from Thailand. To us, it is a sign of better things to come between Thailand and Nigeria. We have discussed a number of areas and we look towards improving the level of bi-lateral relations between Nigeria and Thailand. We have identified the areas of further future cooperation, especially in the key sector of economic development, agriculture being one of them.
“They have promised to assist Nigeria in terms of adding value to our own rice production in the country. We also discussed about cooperation in adding value to our cassava production. Nigeria today is the largest producer of cassava crop (tapioka) in the world but we want to add more value to it in terms of having more declarative, like going into cassava starch, cassava syrup and they promise assistant to Nigeria in these field.
“We have expressed the desire to seek cooperation with Thailand in terms of helping Nigeria to improve on our own rice production locally in Nigeria because we want to reduce the level of our rice import from other countries and since Thailand has the experience, they have the manpower and they have the technical capability.”
On Thailand’s request for English teachers under the TAC, the minister said: “We have agreed to that request that we will be able to send qualified teachers to teach in Thai schools English language specifically and we believe this is also a welcome development in terms of promotion of bi-lateral ties between Thailand and Nigeria.”
Speaking, Tovichakchaikul was delighted at the level of the bilateral talk, saying it symbolizes his country’s strong desire for closer relations with Nigeria.
He used the opportunity to express appreciation to the Federal Government for ensuring the release of Thai nationals recently kidnapped in Nigeria.
The Deputy Prime Minister also spoke about several Thai initiatives, which, according to him, would promote closer cooperation with African countries, including a High-Level Dialogue under the auspices of the Thai-African Initiative scheduled to hold in Bangkok in February 2014.
Trending
- Gov. Otu inaugurates EMT, rolls out terms of engagement
- 2023: Peter Obi and I never believed in ideologies of Labour Party — Doyin Okupe
- Breaking: Ex-Imo State Governor resigns from PDP
- Imperative of independent pre-acquisition audits for OOH campaigns, by Philip Odiakose
- Ondo 2024: APC will lose if primary is not cancelled, says former speaker
- Primate Ayodele tackles IGP: Nigeria ripe for state policing
- Again, Dangote further crashes diesel, aviation fuel prices
- LGAs election: OYSIEC set to distribute sensitive materials on Thursday