Marc Innes-Brown, first assistant secretary of the Middle East and African Division in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has pledged to partner Nigeria in advancing climate-resistant agriculture and mitigation of climate change.

Mr Innes-Brown, who led the Australian delegation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, disclosed this during the fourth Nigeria-Australia consultations ‘Senior Officials Talks’.

He said the choice Nigeria for climate-resistant agriculture is based on the country’s strategic importance internationally and at the continental level.

He explained moves by the Australian government to support Nigeria through capacity building in tackling issues about climate resistance to agriculture and response to the impact of climate change.

According to him, this will bolster collaboration between both countries, saying Nigeria and Australia shared similarities in geography and their leadership roles in respective regions.

He stated that the discussion would bring about new measures to advance Australia-Nigeria collaboration, noting that despite the geographical distance, both countries have many similar features and common interests.

Earlier, Janet Olisa, director in charge of regions at the foreign affairs ministry, promised to leverage previous engagement between the two countries in ways to improve their cooperation in the future.

“Nigeria and Australia have commenced high-level bilateral consultations aimed at strengthening economic ties and exploring new areas of cooperation, particularly in trade, mining, agriculture, and food security.

“Trade is crucial in the economy, which is what makes and breaks a country; with a robust economy, a country will leverage other aspects of life where the business community flourishes.

“We can also talk about food security; a hungry nation is an insecure nation, and Australia has definitely shown such areas that agriculture has been given a very top priority,” Ms Olisa said. 

(NAN)