President Jacob Zuma to address Nigeria business forum in Abuja
President Jacob Zuma would on Wednesday address the South Africa-Nigeria Business Forum in Abuja, Nigeria, as he continues his two-day state visit to the oil-rich west-African country.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, in a statement on Tuesday said the purpose of the forum was to encourage strategic engagements at business-to-business level in order to identify and strengthen opportunities for trade and investment cooperation.
The business forum would, among other issues, focus on manufacturing and advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and mineral beneficiation and services such as hospitalities, pharmaceuticals and health, ICT and finances.
Davies said Nigeria had emerged as a priority country for South African business.
“Nigeria remains an important and strategic economic partner for South Africa particularly due its geo-political position in the West Africa region, its economic size and strategic importance in terms of trade and access to the broader ECOWAS region,” Davies said.
Meanwhile, Zuma on Tuesday held official talks with Nigeria President, Muhammadi Buhari,,after which he said that the relations between South Africa and Nigeria date back to the time when Nigeria supported and contributed to the liberation of the country and its people.
Zuma announced that as part of efforts to strengthen relations with key trading partner Nigeria, he and his Nigerian counterpart had decided to elevate the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the two countries to the level of Heads of State.
At the end of official talks in Abuja, Zuma said: “We have recognised the important role played by the South Africa-Nigeria Bi-national Commission since its inception in 1999. As we forge a strategic partnership between the two sister nations, we have decided to elevate the Bi-National Commission (BNC) to the level of Heads of State.”
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