From France, Tinubu flies to South Africa for bilateral talks with Pres. Ramaphosa

Rounding off his three-day state visit to France, President Bola Tinubu will on Monday leave for Cape Town, South Africa, in furtherance of his international engagements.

While in South Africa, Tinubu will co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The presidential Bi-National Commission scheduled for Tuesday, December 3 will follow a ministerial meeting planned for December 2 2024 at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, in a statement released on Sunday, said Tinubu and Ramaphosa would hold substantive discussions on bilateral, regional, and international matters of mutual interest.

He stated: “Building on the commitments from their meeting on June 20, 2024, in Johannesburg, shortly after President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office, the two leaders will review the progress made since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.

“The 11th session of the BNC will feature deliberations across eight working groups, each focusing on a specific area of mutual interest.

“These include political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments.

“At the high-level meeting, officials of both countries will sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements.”

The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission, established in 1999, aims to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

The first session at the Heads of State level was held in October 2019 in Pretoria.

The BNC provides a platform for sustaining high-level dialogue and fostering collaboration in critical areas such as diplomacy, trade, security, and economic development.

This year’s meeting is particularly significant as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa,” Onanuga said.

President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising state governors, ministers, and senior government officials and he is expected to return to the country after the BNC meeting during the week.