FG assures of ties with Japan on trade relations, food security

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it is committed to strengthening ties with Japan as part of measures to deepen trade relations and exploit more opportunities in areas of infrastructural development, food security, and health, among others.

It also assured the Japanese government of enhanced cooperation, as well as resolving all grey areas involving bilateral relations between the two nations.

Vice President Kashim Shettima gave the assurance when a delegation of the Japanese government, led by the outgoing Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Tanaka Akihiko, paid him a visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“All the grey areas will be addressed. Luckily, the CBN Governor is here, and two of the major beneficiary ministries are represented at the highest level. Be rest assured that in a couple of days, we are going to resolve all the grey areas and put our relationship on a new pedestal,” Shettima told the delegation.

The Vice President applauded Ambassador Kazuyoshi for doing an outstanding job in anchoring the relationship between the two nations, noting that the presence of key actors in the administration of President Bola Tinubu, including two ministers and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, accentuated the importance Nigeria attaches to its relationship with the Japanese international development agency, JICA.

Shettima expressed gratitude to JICA for its commitment towards strengthening the ties between Nigeria and Japan through its contributions to development across critical sectors of the economy.

Specifically, he thanked JICA’s President for the firm’s donation of a grant of ¥1.75 billion to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to strengthen the Centre’s diagnostic capacity.

“Your Excellency, we are immensely grateful for JICA’s continuous commitment; words cannot adequately convey our depth of gratitude. Under the exemplary leadership of Dr. Tanaka Akihiko, JICA has played a very vital role in strengthening the ties between our two nations.

“Your contributions span across critical sectors of our economy and society, aligning seamlessly with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am glad you visited the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday, where, again, you have given a grant of ¥1.75 billion for the strengthening of the diagnostic capacity of the NCDC,” the Vice President said.

Shettima also acknowledged JICA’s assistance in polio eradication, which he said helped Nigeria achieve polio-free status in 2020.

“We share in your vision of making Nigeria a hub for disease control in West Africa and, by extension, you can make it a hub for the whole of Africa because one in every four Black men is a Nigerian. So, we implore you to further enhance the cooperation between our two nations. You are a silent giant. You don’t make too much noise,” he added.

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To outgoing Ambassador Kazuyoshi, the Vice President wished him a fruitful and productive tour of duty in his next location.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of JICA, Dr Akihiko, sympathised with Nigeria over the flood that recently caused damage to many communities and deaths, especially in Maiduguri, Borno State, saying the sympathy is special because Japan has been a victim of natural disasters.

Akihiko extended his gratitude to Nigeria and its citizens for understanding, supporting, and allowing JICA to participate in development projects in the country, noting that “the Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, has done a good job in maintaining and improving the relations between Nigeria and Japan.”

He said he also visited the Nigeria Information Technology Centre, where he met with Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs, noting that he was impressed with their ingenuity and level of creativity, just as he stressed that it has formed the basis of collaboration with JICA.

Speaking also, Ambassador Kazuyoshi disclosed that the Japanese government will hold an International Conference on African Development in Tokyo next year.

He said while the Japanese government has paid great attention to the partnership with Nigeria, it would like to use the opportunity of the visit to strengthen the bilateral relationship between both countries.

Also explaining the level of Japanese involvement in development in Nigeria, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement (Office of the Vice President), Dr Kingsley Uzoma, stated that JICA has done well in supporting Nigeria in the area of food security emergency support loans.

Dr Uzoma stressed that one of the most critical areas of support is the project to rehabilitate and reinforce the Lagos transmission substation. This initiative aims to provide an uninterrupted power supply to Apapa Wharf, ensuring 24-hour electricity.

The project is instrumental in elevating the Nigerian port to meet international standards, he explained.

Also present at the meeting were the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev; CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, and Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hadejia.