PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Nigeria: Nigeria invites Russian experts to help grow Nigerian agric sector
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) – Nigeria has invited Russian companies and farmers to come and show Nigerians how to grow their agricultural sector with modern technology.
The invitation was made by the Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, at the end of the fourth Joint Commission meeting between Russia and Nigeria in Abuja over the weekend.
Represented by Mr Baba Garba, Director, European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said “we import a lot of wheat from Russia and we are telling Russia that this has to stop. We want the Russian companies and farmers to come to Nigeria to show us how we can grow our agriculture sector with modern technology.”
Mrs. Abba-Ibrahim said the joit commission meeting considered various areas of cooperation, including solid minerals, atomic energy, trade, power, works and housing, transport, petroleum, communication, water resources, defence, agriculture and health.
She said Russian companies had expressed interest in investing in some areas of the Nigerian economy, especially in pursuing the diversification of the economy through mining, agriculture, among others.
On military cooperation, the minister said “we have two agreements on military cooperation which we have negotiated and are likely to be signed very soon. They are on technical cooperation, training and purchase of modern military equipment at moderate prices than going into the international market."
She added that the meeting was to foster the existing relationship between the two countries, noting that Nigeria and Russia had enjoyed cordial relations over time.
“Russia has always been in support of Nigeria at different international fora, it has been in support of Nigeria in the area of fighting terrorism,” she said.
The Russian delegation, led by Dianov Yurievich, who is the Deputy Head, Russian Delegation in Nigeria, lauded the cordial relations between the two countries.
He said that the expert meetings showed that many Russian companies were interested in investing in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies also showed interest in Russia.
-0- PANA MON/VAO 13Nov2016
The invitation was made by the Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, at the end of the fourth Joint Commission meeting between Russia and Nigeria in Abuja over the weekend.
Represented by Mr Baba Garba, Director, European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said “we import a lot of wheat from Russia and we are telling Russia that this has to stop. We want the Russian companies and farmers to come to Nigeria to show us how we can grow our agriculture sector with modern technology.”
Mrs. Abba-Ibrahim said the joit commission meeting considered various areas of cooperation, including solid minerals, atomic energy, trade, power, works and housing, transport, petroleum, communication, water resources, defence, agriculture and health.
She said Russian companies had expressed interest in investing in some areas of the Nigerian economy, especially in pursuing the diversification of the economy through mining, agriculture, among others.
On military cooperation, the minister said “we have two agreements on military cooperation which we have negotiated and are likely to be signed very soon. They are on technical cooperation, training and purchase of modern military equipment at moderate prices than going into the international market."
She added that the meeting was to foster the existing relationship between the two countries, noting that Nigeria and Russia had enjoyed cordial relations over time.
“Russia has always been in support of Nigeria at different international fora, it has been in support of Nigeria in the area of fighting terrorism,” she said.
The Russian delegation, led by Dianov Yurievich, who is the Deputy Head, Russian Delegation in Nigeria, lauded the cordial relations between the two countries.
He said that the expert meetings showed that many Russian companies were interested in investing in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies also showed interest in Russia.
-0- PANA MON/VAO 13Nov2016
