President Bola Tinubu will depart France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, where he will co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa.
A statement from Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser, revealed that the commission’s meeting, scheduled for December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial session on December 2 at the South African Parliament building.
This year’s BNC meeting holds special significance as it marks the 25th anniversary of the commission, established in 1999 to strengthen ties between the two African powerhouses. Onanuga described the anniversary as a testament to the enduring friendship and partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.
President Tinubu and President Ramaphosa will engage in extensive discussions covering a broad spectrum of bilateral, regional, and international issues. The leaders aim to build on commitments made during their June 2024 meeting in Johannesburg, shortly after Ramaphosa’s re-election. They will also evaluate progress since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja in 2021.
Deliberations during the 11th BNC session will be structured around eight working groups, addressing key sectors: political consultations, consular and migration issues, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social development, mines and energy, and trade and investments.
The meeting will culminate in the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements, further consolidating cooperation between the two nations. President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising state governors, federal ministers, and senior government officials.
The BNC, which held its first Heads of State meeting in October 2019 in Pretoria, remains a vital platform for advancing dialogue and fostering collaboration in areas such as diplomacy, trade, security, and economic development.
President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the BNC session.
