Pretoria - South Africa and Niger have recommitted to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as working together to promote peace and stability in Africa.
This emerged after the inaugural session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), which was co-chaired by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her counterpart Mohamed Bazoum.
During their official talks, the two ministers expressed satisfaction at the warm and fraternal relations that exist between the two countries.
They also expressed their desire to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of food security; geology and mining; energy; security, as well as new areas of cooperation such as arts and culture; tourism; trade and industry; and infrastructure development.
“On bilateral co-operation, both Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and Minister Bazoum reaffirmed the bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries, founded on common values of mutual respect, commitment to democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights,” the ministers said in a joint communique.
The two sides were pleased that a number of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding have been exchanged and that the relevant departments will endeavour to finalise such agreements as soon as possible.
Among those are the Bilateral Air Services Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Civil Aviation that is expected to be concluded during December and as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Geology and Mining.
Minister Bazoum again expressed his appreciation to government for the consignment of nutrition for children, fertilizer, animal feed, and bio-pesticide that was provided by South Africa in response to Niger’s request for emergency humanitarian assistance last year.
Niger is a small country bordering among others Libya, Mali and Nigeria. The country remains challenged by its landlocked position and desert terrain, and grapples with problems of poor education, poverty and lack of infrastructure. –SAnews.gov.za
