Nigeria-EU to Negotiate Better Partnership
NIGERIA-EU to Negotiate better partnership
Caroline Ameh
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Samuela Isopi has led the delegation from the EU for the signing of the readmission agreement negotiation that will make for a better partnership for migration and mobility in Nigeria and the EU member states.
According to her, the delegation is resuming physical negotiations after a long break from the COVID-19 pandemic and this will be the dialogue on the broad engagement it has with Nigeria.
“We are resuming in physical discussion since the resumption from the Covid break and we going to work together both in the framework of political and ministerial road map that has been developed by both parties for the new Nigeria and EU partnership that was launched this year.”
She also noted that the delegation will be working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EU member states to strengthen dialogue on migration and mobility.
“I feel very confident that we will find some common grounds on many issues and to reach a good common goal for the readmission agreement that will be of mutual benefits to the two partners.”
The Ambassador also pointed out that an element of broader engagement that covers all areas will be discussed in this 4th high level meeting while they await two more high level visits from Brussels before the end of the year to discuss on the new Nigeria energy partnership. She said the EU and Nigeria has recorded many success stories working together and believes that this readmission and migration meeting will be fruitful.
The Head of the delegation, Ms. Isopi also said that Nigeria and EU are both neighbors in terms of their population growth. “EU has about 400 million population while Nigeria’s population is growing every day and, in this meeting, we will be discussing on how to manage the positive and negative aspects of migrations. That is, the legal and illegal ones. And ensure we have a win-win situation at the end of the day,” she added.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium and the Head of Nigeria’s delegation to the EU, Obinna Onowu said that the two partners are re-starting the negotiation that was stalled due to Covid-19 but is now reopening and it promises to be a good agreement that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. He said that part of the discussions will be how to ensure access to legal migration and re-integration and other things attached to that.
