German and French ambassadors to Nigeria, Ambassador Annett Gunther and Marc Fonbaustier, have stated that Nigeria has lessons to learn from the Franco-German cooperation, stressing that friendships and reconciliation help to birth positive developments and enhance growth.

The two ambassadors, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, during the 63rd anniversary of the German-French Day commemorating the historic signing of the Elysée Treaty on January 22, 1963, remarked that “the history of reconciliation and European unification shows that any future is possible, no matter how bleak the past may seem. This is a message we want to share with our Nigerian partners: we are stronger together — and stronger as friends.”

They said that as part of their political friendship, France and Germany coordinate closely – in Europe and around the world, recalling how both countries fought each other bitterly for centuries for a long time in a seemingly interminable rivalry and enmity.

The two ambassadors, while fielding questions from journalists, noted that Nigeria could play a great role within the African sub-region, noting that the lessons could be used in making the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) a strong player in economic and cultural terms.

Fonbaustier said: “One lesson probably is that the stronger countries have the opportunities and the means to push forward integration, economic development. On the other hand, they also have the means and the economic power to support the not-so-strong members, because a union like the European Union, or like ECOWAS, only consists of all its members. Everybody has to be taken along.”

On her part, the German ambassador, Gunther, while agreeing with her colleague, explained that the cooperation between their two embassies was moderated by the treaties, which she said already stipulated consultations between both countries’ Heads of State, foreign ministers, as well as leaders of other committees.