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Nigeria, Brazil agree to collaborate on energy, aviation

By on February 24, 2013

President Goodluck Jonathan and his Brazilian counterpart, Mrs. Dilma Rousseff, on Saturday agreed to collaborate in the areas of energy, aviation, agriculture and others for the benefit of the citizens of their countries.

This formed part of the communiqué jointly issued at the end of a meeting between the two leaders after Rousseff’s state visit to Nigeria on Jonathan’s invitation.

On energy, the two leaders pledged to collaborate for the prompt implementation of the Memorandum of Understand signed in 2009 on energy.

The pact is expected to cover power generation, transmission  and distribution.

The communiqué read in part, “The two Presidents noted the importance of energy to the development and industrialisation efforts of the two countries.

“They reiterated their commitments to collaborate in the energy sector for a mutually beneficial partnership.

“They therefore pledged to work together for the prompt implementation of the MoU on cooperation in the field of energy signed in 2009 covering initiatives in the areas of power generation, transmission and distribution as well as the production and commercialisation of bio-fuels.”

While underscoring the importance of agriculture to their countries’ development initiatives, the two presidents agreed to actively collaborate in training and capacity building in  agricultural practices and exchange relevant technology.

On aviation, the two leaders  noted the importance of implementing Bilateral Air Services Agreement and agreed that direct air links between the two countries would encourage and enhance trade between Brazil and Nigeria.

They therefore stressed the need to take appropriate measures to promote the reestablishment of direct air links between the two countries.

They commended the establishment of the mechanism for strategic dialogue between their countries through the signing of the MoU on the subject at the end of their bilateral talks.

While admitting that exchange of visits by high- ranking officials of the two countries needed to be intensified, the two leaders instructed that the joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil should convene the seventh meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja as soon as possible as a follow up on the outcomes of President Rousseff’s visit to Nigeria.

The Presidents acknowledged the significant roles played by their countries in the maintenance of peace and security in their respective regions and expressed readiness to work together to promote international peace, security, democracy as well as development.

Both leaders welcomed the ongoing efforts aimed at reforming the United Nations in order to equip it better to meet the current challenges in the maintenance of international peace and security.

In this regard, they called for the urgent reform of the UN Security Council to make it more democratic and reflective of the changes in the international architecture.

The Brazilian President said the volume of trade between Nigeria and Brazil was $9bn in 2012.

“Our exchanges have actually outgrown significantly between 2009 and 2012, years marked by crises. Our trade exchanges have grown and for 2012, the figure was $9bn. We agreed that we must diversify and make it a more balanced trade,” said Rousseff, who spoke through an interpreter at the joint media briefing with her host.

 

[Punch]