Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria remains committed to collaborating with China and other African countries to ensure that the partnership’s objectives are achieved for the mutual benefit of both parties.
According to a statement from his media office, Vice President Shettima stated this when he represented President Bola Tinubu at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa at the China-Africa Leaders’ Roundtable Dialogue Meeting on the margins of the BRICS Summit.
The vice president said; “Nigeria welcomes the new initiatives introduced by the Chinese authorities which include supporting and promoting the modernization of Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors; providing robust support for Africa to expedite regional integration and backing Africa’s industrialization and infrastructure expansion.”
Shettima spoke to a large audience including President Xi Jinping of China and some African leaders on the theme; “Promoting African Integration and Jointly Building a High-Level Africa-China Community with a Shared Future” at the Sandton Convention Centre.
He commended the existing partnership between China and Africa particularly the three newly identified initiatives and priority areas of cooperation between China and Africa in the areas of agriculture, industrialization and human capacity development.
He said these aligned with the “Renewed Hope” mantra of Tinubu Administration, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030”, adding that “they are relevant to our continental and national development aspirations.”
Vice President Shettima praised further the commitment of China stating that “Nigeria firmly endorses China and anticipates forging a close collaboration with the Chinese authorities, the African Union, and all stakeholders.”
In his address, the President Xi Jinping said China would launch initiatives to support Africa’s industrialisation and agricultural modernization.