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President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said Nigeria and South Africa share a collective destiny to collaborate for the good of the African continent.
Therefore, he said both countries must intensify cooperation across various sectors, warning that the implementation, not the mere signing of MoUs, constitutes the success of the partnership.
Tinubu made this argument in his opening address when he co-chaired the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa, in Cape Town, South Africa.
He said, “Our successive governments on both sides have accorded due to recognition to our shared history of collaboration and cooperation.
“We must ensure that the spirit of the collaboration and cooperation between our two leading countries in Africa will intensify and deepen under the leadership of our respective nations.
“This is not a matter of choice, but of destiny that includes a historical responsibility that we hold the African people.”
The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission was established in 1999 to further strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations
The first session at the Heads of State level was held in October 2019 in Pretoria.
With this year’s meeting coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, Tinubu said Nigeria and South Africa had signed about 36 Memoranda of Understanding that speak to the friendship and cooperation between them.
However, he warned that mere MoUs do not count as success but must be backed by steady implementation.
“The BNC has existed since 1999 with some three dozen MOUs and agreements already in operation. The BNC has actually come of age.
“I must, however, sound a note of caution here: let us not count our successes by the number of MOUs and agreements signed. They will be mere papers until we implement them in Spirit and the letter.
“The job of our senior officials will only achieve the desired goal if we do very well in implementation. I’m pleased to know that this framework has achieved a lot,” Tinubu noted.
He called for special emphasis on galvanising the relationship between the youths of both countries, saying Nigeria and South Africa share a youthful demography that can benefit their economic fortunes.
Tinubu explained, “My desire is that we will accelerate the aspect that relates to youth development. Beyond natural resources, our most precious resource is the large and youthful population that exists in both our countries.
“These young people represent the future. They are the demography that must be tainted, invested in and have their skill and potential harvested for development and the good of the continent.
“My administration did an inclusive government in which young people are now in charge of some of the key sectors of the economy, believing the future for them must start now. Let us connect Nigerian and South African youths and leverage their potential for development.”
While assuring Ramaphosa of Nigeria’s commitment to strengthen the mutual bond, the President warned against external forces that may threatened by this partnership between two of Africa’s largest economies.
“As the adage goes, ‘The glory of the eagle does not please the kite.’ Let us remain mindful of the overt and overt hostilities that the sources of our partnership will attract.
“If we are vigilant, committed and persistent, we will surely soar like the eagles over the bridge of predators. So we must remain strongly united in purpose,” he stated.
Tinubu called for creating an anti-illegal mining group, saying Africa’s natural resources must benefit its people.
“One thing I would like this edition of the BNC to explore is the possible need to establish an anti-illegal mining group in the African nations. Our natural resources are supposed to be managed for the betterment of our people.
“However, there seems to be a concerted effort flowing in the opposite direction throughout Africa. Illegal mining is robbing our nations of precious resources which could foster development. Sponsored by powerful outside forces, such mining is fomenting strife, servitude, poverty, environmental degradation and undermining the reach of legitimacy in governance.
“We cannot allow this inland piracy to become his scourge to our good and healthy design for our people. South Africa and Nigeria should and must take the lead in placing this issue before the global community and resolving it for the good of the African continent and its people,” Tinubu argued.
He sought South Africa’s support for Nigeria’s bid to attain full membership in the G20, BRICS and the BRICS New Development Bank, saying, “Nigeria would like to join South Africa and the African Union in the G20.”
Speaking earlier, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighted Nigeria’s role as a host to several South African companies and noted that his country remains welcoming to Nigerian businesses, as demonstrated by numerous investments and operations within its borders.
However, he acknowledged the need to remove existing barriers to greater investment and to address challenges faced by companies operating in both nations.
“We need to remove the remaining constraints to greater investment, just as we need to address some of the challenges that companies have experience.
“We are encouraged by the actions being undertaken under your leadership to further strengthen and foster a business environment in Nigeria that offers assurances to investors, including from South Africa.
“Our government continues with its efforts to improve the ease of doing business in South Africa. We want to enable investors to operate, trade and pursue opportunities in various sectors. We look forward to seeing more Nigerian companies investing in South Africa,” Ramphosa said.
He also pointed out measures taken to support these opportunities such as simplifying visa processes for Nigerian businesspeople.
These measures, he said, include the availability of five-year multiple-entry visas for eligible applicants and a streamlined process for Nigerian tourists, who can now apply for visas without submitting passports.
President Ramaphosa expressed hope that the 11th Session of the Bi-National Commission convened would consolidate cooperation in critical areas.
He urged the implementation of previously agreed-upon decisions and emphasised the importance of monitoring progress to achieve shared goals.
