December 01, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu will depart France on Monday, December 2, 2024, for Cape Town, South Africa, where he is scheduled to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside his South African counterpart, President Cyril Ramaphosa.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the high-level BNC meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 3, at the South African Parliament Building. It will follow a ministerial session scheduled for December 2, 2024.
The meeting will focus on a wide range of bilateral, regional, and international matters aimed at deepening cooperation between the two nations.
Tinubu and Ramaphosa are expected to review progress made since the 10th BNC session, held in Abuja in 2021, and build on commitments from their earlier discussions in June during President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term.
The 11th session will feature deliberations across eight thematic working groups,
Several Memoranda of Understanding and agreements are expected to be signed during the meeting to formalize the outcomes of the discussions.
This year’s BNC session marks the 25th anniversary of the commission, which was established in 1999 to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and South Africa.
The first session at the Heads of State level was convened in October 2019 in Pretoria.
The commission has since served as a platform for high-level dialogue and collaboration in critical sectors, including trade, security, diplomacy, and economic development.
Tinubu will be accompanied by a delegation of state governors, ministers, and senior government officials. His participation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to advancing partnerships with South Africa, one of its key allies on the continent.
The President is expected to return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the meeting.
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