Canada committed to assist Nigeria end terrorism, says Envoy
NAN-F-6
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Isaac Aregbesola
Abuja, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) Canada has expressed its commitment to support the Federal Government initiatives aimed at addressing the security challenges in the North East, Middle Belt and Niger Delta regions.
The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Stephane Dion, stated this on Monday in Abuja at the end of the fifth meeting of the Nigeria-Canada Bi-National Commission.
The Nigerian delegation at the meeting was led by Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and the Permanent Secretary, Amb. Olushola Enikanolaye.
Dion, while acknowledging the sustained efforts of the Nigerian Government in its fight against insurgency and in countering violent extremisms, said Canada was committed to Nigeria’s peaceful co existence .
He expressed Canada’s commitment to provide timely humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons based on humanitarian principles and to also encourage effective rehabilitation, reintegration and reconstruction.
The envoy commended and acknowledged the positive progress made by the federal government in its fight against corruption and expressed his country’s readiness to collaborate and support Nigeria’s anti corruption efforts.
He said that Canada welcomed Nigeria’s readiness to launch its national campaign to end child marriage by the end of 2016, including women empowerment and education for girl.
According to him, Canada will continue to support and strengthen Nigeria’s primary health systems to help to ensure reproductive health and rights of women and girls, and promote maternal and child survival.
He said Canada looked forward to the ratification of the Foreign Investment Promotion And Protection Agreement (FIPA) by Nigeria.
This, he said, would be an important step in progressive trade agenda that would benefit Nigeria’s growing middle class.
At the meeting the two countries expressed their commitment to collaborate on migration issues in order to generate greater opportunities for trade and investments and the facilitation of socio-economic activities between Nigeria and Canada.
The two countries stressed the need for a Memorandum of Understanding on the return and re-admission on persons out of status.
The delegations agreed that Nigeria and Canada would continue to collaborate on identified issues of mutual interest and work together to address any challenge that arise via the monitoring and evaluation meeting.
Onyeama at the meeting expressed profound gratitude for the 18 million dollars initially offered to Nigeria by Canada to ameliorate the suffering of the people in the North East.
The minister also commended the Canadian Government on the 19.9 million Canadian dollars also initially provided for polio eradication and immunisation process in Nigeria.
While stressing that Nigeria faced environment challenge, Onyeama expressed optimism that hundred billion dollars promised for the developing countries in addressing the challenge would materialise. (NAN)
IAA/MST/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola