Nigeria and Senegal have pledged to resuscitate their Joint Commission by exploring opportunities to deepen collaboration between the two countries.

This is contained in a statement issued by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Saturday in Abuja.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, and Senegalese Foreign Affairs Minister, Cheikh Niang, made the commitment during a bilateral meeting at the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

It quoted Mr Enikanolaiye as describing the bilateral relations between Nigeria and Senegal as excellent, adding that the meeting was designed to deepen the brotherly ties between the two countries.

He explained that resuscitating the Joint Commission would create a platform to explore further opportunities for collaboration that could benefit Nigerians and Senegalese, the statement said.

The minister emphasised the importance of closer communication, free from bureaucracy, between ministers, saying such communication would foster collaboration and consultation on both bilateral and multilateral issues.

He underscored the need to improve trade and commerce between the two countries, noting that the excellent political relations between them should translate into economic benefits for the people.

Mr Niang congratulated Mr Enikanolaiye on his appointment and appreciated his kind gesture of initiating closer collaboration with him.

The minister described Mr Enikanolaiye’s engagement during the Council of Ministers’ meeting as knowledge-based and expertise-driven, acknowledging that such qualities were needed in regional engagements.

He added that Mr Enikanolaiye’s initiative of engaging with him would enhance collaboration and consultation on issues of mutual interest between Nigeria and Senegal, the statement said.

 (NAN)