UAE-Nigeria Joint Committee to Advance Economic Integration and Cooperation,

Ogungbemi Adeyemi O.

The United Arab Emirates has hosted the first UAE-Nigeria Joint Committee meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting was jointly chaired by Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of State, and Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Honorable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Nigeria.

A number of senior officials from the Government of Nigeria participated in the meeting, and delegation from the Emirate included senior officials representing various federal and local government entities, semi-governmental organisations, and private companies.

During the meeting, the two countries discussed issues relating to political and economic cooperation, hinting on the importance of establishing new channels of bilateral cooperation between them.

They also discussed the various opportunities for vast cooperation in the areas of trade and economy, SMEs, entrepreneurship, clean energy, technology, education, defense and security, finance and banking, customs, culture, youth and sports, and aviation.

Sheikh Shakhboot gave a note of commendation to the effectiveness of the Joint Committee in enhancing cooperation between the Emirate and economic sector. He therefore encouraged participants to continue leveraging this platform towards the greater good of member states.

Reacting on behalf of Nigeria, the honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada reeled out Nigeria’s interest to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and growing cooperation between both countries.

The Joint Committee meeting was concluded with both sides signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), including an MoU for cooperation in the field of culture and youth and an MoU for cooperation in the field of sport.