By Ebi Kesiena
Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, on Monday to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
The BNC, slated for December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2 at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.
During the session, presidents Tinubu and Ramaphosa will engage in extensive discussions on bilateral, regional, and international issues of shared interest.
This was contained in a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, adding that the leaders will also assess progress made since the 10th BNC session held in Abuja, Nigwria in late 2021.
This year’s meeting coincides with the 25th anniversary of the BNC, an institution established in 1999 to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation. Notable deliberations will be conducted across eight specialized working groups covering areas such as, Political Consultations, Consular and Migration Matters, Banking and Finance, Defence and Security, Manufacturing, Social Sector Initiatives, Mines and Energy, Trade and Investment.
The session will also feature the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements aimed at enhancing diplomatic, economic, and security ties between the two nations.
The BNC, which first convened at the Heads of State level in October 2019 in Pretoria, serves as a key platform for fostering high-level dialogue and advancing mutual interests.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including state governors, ministers, and senior government officials, underscoring the importance of the session in strengthening the partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.
