Belarus Seeks Greater Economic Collaboration with Nigeria: President Lukashenko Meets First Lady Oluremi Tinubu
Belarus Seeks Greater Economic Collaboration with Nigeria: President Lukashenko Meets First Lady Oluremi Tinubu
L-R First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko during visit to Belarus by the First Lady
Minsk, Belarus– President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has expressed his country’s eagerness to strengthen economic ties with Nigeria. This announcement came during a meeting with Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at his office in Belarus.
President Lukashenko emphasized the key areas for potential cooperation, including agriculture, food processing, industry, and education. Speaking through an interpreter, he underscored the significance of Senator Tinubu’s visit in bolstering bilateral relations and highlighted the mutual benefits of collaboration, particularly in specialist training.
The President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
“We know your needs and we know the possibilities that you have. Let me underline that these possibilities are important and significant for us. We can render significant assistance to you, and you can reciprocate for us,” President Lukashenko stated. He further expressed Belarus's willingness to deepen educational ties with Nigeria and requested that President Bola Tinubu facilitate a visit from Belarus’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to Nigeria to develop these areas of collaboration further.
In response, Senator Oluremi Tinubu thanked President Lukashenko for providing 20 full scholarships to Nigerian students through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). She explained that the RHI is focused on empowering women, particularly through the Women in Agriculture program, which aims to enhance food security and production in Nigeria. Senator Tinubu assured that Nigeria would pursue further collaboration with Belarus to achieve these mutual goals.
First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu with the Speaker of Belarus parliament Ms Natalya Kochanova
Earlier, the First Lady met with Belarusian Minister of Education Andrey Ivanets, who noted the presence of approximately 600 Nigerian students excelling in various academic fields in Belarus. Minister Ivanets expressed his Ministry’s intention to formalize a bilateral agreement with Nigeria and establish specialist training centers in the country.
Senator Tinubu commended the Republic of Belarus’s work experience program, indicating that Nigeria would explore similar initiatives. During her visit, she also met with Speaker of the Belarusian Parliament Ms. Natalya Kochanova and members of the Women’s Union of Belarus, comprising women professionals from various sectors.
Signed,
Busola Kukoyi
SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
7th July, 2024
No comments