Nigeria has strengthened its diplomatic engagement with African partners through a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Discussions focused on regional security, economic cooperation, migration, and development.
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Leading the Nigerian delegation, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, held separate meetings with the Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, Nardos Bekele-Thomas; Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tete António, and Libya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of National Unity, Taher Al-Baour. Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Taiwo Oyedele, was also in attendance at the African Union meeting.
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In her statement yesterday on X, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said that bilateral talks with the Angolan Foreign Minister, centred on consular matters, economic cooperation, and preparations for the Extraordinary Summit on Peace and Security scheduled to hold in Angola in August.
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She noted that Nigeria and Angola have maintained warm and fraternal relations for more than five decades and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
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The minister also held what she described as a constructive engagement with Bekele-Thomas, during which both sides explored issues related to Africa’s development agenda and opportunities for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and the continental development agency.
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In a separate meeting with Libya’s Foreign Minister, Taher Al-Baour, the discussions focused on continental security challenges, including efforts to combat human trafficking and arms trafficking.

The ministers also examined the possibility of prisoner transfer arrangements and initiatives aimed at facilitating the safe return of victims of refugee-smuggling syndicates, reaffirming the need for stronger regional cooperation to address transnational crimes across Africa.