Tinubu And Ramaphosa To Co-chair 11th Session Of Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will travel from France to Cape Town, South Africa, today (Monday) to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The session, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, 2024, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament.
In a statement issued on Sunday, December 1, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, outlined that the two leaders would engage in extensive discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest. The meeting will build on the commitments made during their June 20, 2024 meeting in Johannesburg, following President Ramaphosa’s re-election for a second term.
The 11th session of the BNC will focus on eight key areas of collaboration, including political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, the social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments. Officials from both nations are also expected to sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements during the high-level meeting.
Established in 1999, the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission aims to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The first Heads of State-level session was held in October 2019 in Pretoria. The 11th session is particularly significant as it marks the 25th anniversary of the BNC, celebrating a quarter of a century of enduring cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including state governors, ministers, and senior government officials. Following the conclusion of the meeting, he is expected to return to Nigeria.
