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Thailand to help Nigeria in rice, cassava production

By on August 21, 2013

Thailand is to help Nigeria to improve the local production of rice so as to reduce the importation of the commodity and to add value to cassava production.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, said this on Monday in Abuja while signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of bilateral consultations with Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, who signed for Nigeria, expressed the hope that the bilateral engagement would lead to closer cooperation between both countries.

The Thailand deputy prime minister was in the country in company with a trade delegation from Thailand for high level consultations with Nigerian businessmen.

Tovichakchaikul expressed strong desire of his country to support Nigeria on rice farming, cassava and gemstone technology.

He said, “We are mindful of Nigeria’s policy to enhance rice production capacity to substitute rice import; however, I hope Nigeria will consider continuing to import Thai rice.

“At the same time, we will like to be of assistance to you by extending rice farming technical cooperation to your country as we have done in some other African countries.”

It was revealed during the signing of the agreement that the volume of trade between Nigeria and Thailand was expected to hit $3bn in the next five years.

The consultations, which will be at the level of the permanent secretaries, will centre on economic relations, security, political consultation and regional cooperation in West Africa and South East Asia.

The delegation, which included private sector investors from Thailand, met with their Nigerian counterparts in Lagos.

Ashiru said, “We also discussed areas of extraction and mining, especially the gemstones that we have in Nigeria, to be able to have reasonable equipment to extract and polish these gemstones so that they can be competitive in the world market.

“We believe that consequent to this high level visit, we will see economic activities improved between Nigeria and Thailand.”

Ashiru, who noted the desire of the Thai authorities to establish an African Studies Programme in a university, agreed to the country’s request for teachers under the Technical Aid Corps Volunteers programme to teach English language in Thailand.

He said Nigeria would also support the Thailand’s candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council and for the position of Auditor at the International Maritime Organisation.

The minister said Thailand in return agreed to support Nigeria’s candidate for the position of President of the Governing Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and her bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

The two countries also discussed the implementation of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement, cooperation between their private sectors, and also to share experiences on the Thai healthcare delivery system, among others.

Tovichakchaikul said the citizens of his country required only $1 to access quality healthcare, adding that Nigeria could benefit tremendously from the experience.

Thanking Nigeria for ensuring release of the four kidnapped Thai nationals, he added, “We are proud and confident of the bilateral ties with Nigeria.”

 

 

 

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