Nigeria remains committed to collaborating with China, others, says Shettima… 

Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, said that Nigeria remained committed to collaborating with China and other African countries. 

He said this would ensure that the partnership’s objectives are achieved for the mutual benefit of both parties.

The vice president stated this when he represented President Bola Tinubu at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg at the China-Africa Leaders’ Roundtable Dialogue Meeting on the margins of the BRICS Summit, Johannesburg, South Africa.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday, August 25, by the Director of Information in the Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola.

He said: “Nigeria welcomes the new initiatives introduced by the Chinese authorities, which include supporting and promoting the modernization of Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors; providing robust support for Africa to expedite regional integration and backing Africa’s industrialization and infrastructure expansion.”

Shettima spoke to a large audience including President Xi Jinping of China and some African leaders on the theme “Promoting African Integration and Jointly Building a High-Level Africa-China Community with a Shared Future” at the Sandton Convention Centre.

He commended the existing partnership between China and Africa particularly “the three newly identified initiatives and priority areas of cooperation, between China and Africa in the areas of agriculture, industrialization, and human capacity development.”

He said these align with the “Renewed Hope” mantra of Tinubu administration, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030”, adding that “they are relevant to our continental and national development aspirations.”

He further praised the commitment of China, stating that “Nigeria firmly endorses China and anticipates forging a close collaboration with the Chinese authorities, the African Union, and all stakeholders.”

He noted that the collective efforts will elevate the Africa-China comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to unprecedented heights, driven by our mutual pursuit of economic prosperity.