Minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu, has secured the commitment from the European Union and Government of Netherlands on areas of immediate support to Nigeria to create jobs for its teeming youthful population.
According to the minister, this will be a means of eradicating poverty, unemployment and irregular migration in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda for Nigeria.
Edu sought the commitments at a meeting in Hague with the European Union Commission Director General for International Development, Erica Gerrestsen, the ministers for Justice and Security of Netherlands, Netherlands secretary general, Netherlands special envoy for Migration, Peter Schuurman, head of Section Sahel, West Africa and Great Lakes, Tijmen Rooseboom, among others.
The Nigerian government delegation comprised the Ambassador to Netherlands, Dr Eniola Ajayi, the Federal High Commissioner on Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hon Tijani Ahmed, the representative of the minister of interior, Hon Olubumi Tunji-Ojo; Mrs Dukpe, representative of Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service, amongst others.
Parts of the commitments made include the visit of the Netherlands and EU leadership to Nigeria on situation analysis and key stakeholders’ engagement, support for the implementation plan for poverty alleviation in Nigeria and the return of Netherlands Long stay visa issuance from Netherlands Embassy in Ghana office back to the Embassy in Nigeria, amongst others.