The Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, Joseph Tegbe has assured the Chinese delegates from the China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of Nigeria’s commitment to a sustainable partnership with the People’s Republic of China in line with the agreement reached by the Presidents of the two countries; Nigeria and China.
He gave this assurance while addressing a delegation of the Chinese Government, represented by senior officials of the China National Development and Reform Commission, noting that Nigeria aims to expand the bilateral relationship from commerce to a mutually-beneficial development partnership involving industrial collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The leader of the Chinese delegation, Mr Zhang Huanteng noted that further to the agreements reached by the two Presidents in September, the delegation was in Nigeria on an introductory visit, to formally present the signed agreements and highlight the priority areas of the Chinese Government, as stated in the 3-year development plan. He then invited the Nigerian delegation to a follow-up meeting to discuss and agree details of the agreement in Beijing.
While expressing his pleasure at having the team in Nigeria, Joseph Tegbe highlighted the need for the two counties to establish a clear communication mechanism in pursuit of mutual goals as envisaged in the partnership. He reiterated the focus of Nigeria in the areas of Infrastructure, Energy, Mining, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Education and Technology, noting the need for knowledge transfer for mutual benefits.
While welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Honourable Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, H.E Sen Atiku Bagudu thanked them for their hospitality to the Nigerian delegation that visited China in September. He recalled that five agreements were signed, with the China National Development and Reform Commission driving three of the agreements and he noted that the Belt and Road initiatives has listed priority projects and collaborative platforms which Nigeria is fully committed to. He restated that the appointment of Mr Joseph Tegbe to lead the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership underscores the importance which President Tinubu gives to the agreements, as Mr Tegbe comes on board with immense experience.
The Minister assured the Chinese delegation that the Director-General would brief the President on the progress made so far, and the two countries would schedule subsequent meetings to finalize grey areas and put timelines to each initiative. He concluded by saying the Federal Government of Nigeria looks forward to a greater, mutually-beneficial relationship with China, adding that the Ministry would work hand in hand with the coordinating office to ensure the achievement of the stated objectives.
