Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Sign Pacts On Trade, Investment, Security

The federal government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to boost trade and investments as well as strengthen cooperation in the areas of security among others.

This was the crux of the closing event of the two-day    Second Session of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission in Abuja, which ended in Abuja, yesterday.

Nigeria’s minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, signed the agreements on behalf of the federal government while the deputy minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture  of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Saleh Alkhamshi, signed on behalf of his country.

Speaking during the ceremony, Amb. Zubairu Dada said that the agreements were a culmination of the brainstorming session by experts and officials who engaged in intensive negotiations on several draft agreements and MoUs presented by the two countries dealing with various aspects of Nigeria-Saudi cooperation.

According to the minister, the drafts held under three broad Working Groups, covering the fields of Education, Culture, Youths, Sports, Defence, Security, Drugs and Human Trafficking, Economic, Trade and Investment, Hajj, Labour, among others.

“I wish to commend our experts for the good work done.  Nigeria is honoured and pleased to have hosted the current Second Session of the Nigeria – Saudi Arabia Joint Commission. It is our firm belief that the conclusions and the outcome of this Session will go a long way in uplifting and advancing the existing level of our bilateral relations for the mutual benefits of our people.