Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Jamilah Bio-Ibrahim, has highlighted the objectives and achievements of her recent visit to Equatorial Guinea, where she accompanied President Bola Tinubu. She said the primary focus of the trip was to explore and enhance opportunities for youth development in partnership with Equatorial Guinea.
Speaking to Newsmen in an interview session the Minister said both nations are on the verge of finalizing a significant treaty on youth empowerment, set to be officially confirmed at the upcoming Joint Commission later this year.
She noted that the proposed agreement is expected to promote collaboration in areas such as skills development, entrepreneurship, and peer learning among the youth of both countries.
Additionally, the Youth Minister stated that one of the key elements of the treaty is the potential adoption of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) model in Equatorial Guinea stressing that the partnership also aims to utilize Nigeria’s large youth population to support various sectors in Equatorial Guinea, including agroforestry, fashion, and the garment industry.
Minister Bio-Ibrahim however expressed optimism that this collaboration will be mutually beneficial, harnessing the potential of young people in both countries to drive economic development across Africa.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence revealed ongoing discussions between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea aimed at enhancing security cooperation along their shared borders and the Gulf of Guinea.
He said though no formal defense agreement has been signed yet, both nations are working on establishing a joint committee focused on patrols and policing to address security challenges in the region.
The Minister also confirmed that one of the primary objectives of the proposed joint security patrols is to curb the illegal movement of crude oil, which has been a persistent issue in the Gulf of Guinea adding that the collaboration between the two countries is expected to significantly reduce oil theft and other illegal activities in the area.
Source: Swifteradio.com
