The 9th Virtual Session of the Nigeria – Japan Special Partnership Forum Ends In Abuja
As Session Agrees on Commitment for the Development of Nigeria’s Natural Gas Resources in the Quest for Foreign Direct Investment.
Parties Also Agree to Work for Better Outcomes in the Next TICAD Session Scheduled for Tunisia in August this Year_ .
The Nigeria- Japan Special Partnership Forum, yesterday, ended in Abuja with a commitment to vigorously pursue the development of Nigeria’s natural gas resources in the bid to attract Foreign Direct Investment in the sector.
Participants at the Forum also agreed to work ahead to achieve better outcomes in the next Tokyo International Conference on African Development ( TICAD) session,which is scheduled to hold in Tunisia in August this year.
The Special Forum among other things discussed the following issues:
The outcomes of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial meeting held between 26th and 27th March 2022;
Priority issues for TICAD 8 Summit, scheduled to hold in Tunisia from 27th to 28th August 2022;
Matters on bilateral relations, which include: Japan’s business relations, Japan’s Development Assistance to Nigeria, Cultural Exchange as well as Promotion of Sport Diplomacy.
Others include:
Situation in West Africa, including Lake Chad Region, Sahel, ECOWAS;
the situation in Ukraine and its impact on African Development as well as
cooperation in the International Arena.
The Nigerian delegation to the Forum,which was held virtually, Wednesday,in Abuja, was led by Ambassador Gabriel T. Aduda,Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also included H. E. Abubakar Hassaini Moriki, Ambassador of Nigeria to Japan, as well as Ambassador Mustapha Tunde Mukaila, Director Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters.
The Japanese side was led by Ambassador Yonetami Koji, Assistant Minister and Director–General, African Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, with Ambassador Mitsunaga Kazuyoshi,Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria and Mr. Mase Hiroyuki,who is Director of African Affairs Division, as members.
At the end of the Forum, both parties expressed their readiness to work closely together in all areas of agreement.
The Nigerian-Japan Special Partnership Forum (NJSPF) was established in May 2001 to create a mechanism for diplomatic consultations at Senior Officials Level to discuss broad ranges of bilateral issues bordering on Political, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural relations as well as multilateral cooperation. The next session will hold at about this time next year.
