Nigeria, Israel To Establish Joint Commission For Enhanced Bilateral Relations

Nigeria and the State of Israel have expressed interest in setting up a joint commission to strengthen their diplomatic and economic ties, covering key sectors such as security, agriculture, health, education, and entertainment.

This was revealed during a high-level meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, and Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Michael Freeman, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Complex in Abuja.

Boosting Trade and Technology Transfer

Ambassador Ojukwu emphasized the need to deepen economic cooperation, urging for increased trade and investment opportunities.

“The $250 million trade volume between our nations is just a fraction of what we can achieve. We encourage more Nigerian investors to explore export opportunities to Israel,” she stated.

She also noted that Israel’s expertise in security and counter-terrorism aligns with Nigeria’s needs, particularly in tackling insurgency and enhancing national security.

Ambassador Freeman reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to agricultural collaboration, particularly in modern farming techniques such as drip irrigation.

“With this technology, rice can be grown anywhere. We will demonstrate this next week by planting rice at our farm in the Israeli embassy,” he disclosed.

Film and Religious Tourism Partnerships

The Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) was highlighted as a potential area for increased cooperation. While a film co-production agreement exists between both nations, the Israeli envoy revealed that it has been stuck in Nigeria’s bureaucratic process for over a year.

Ambassador Ojukwu also called for residency privileges for Nigerians who have lived in Israel for over five years without criminal records, particularly in light of Nigeria’s significant contribution to religious tourism in the country.

Solidarity Over Hamas Conflict

On global security matters, Ambassador Ojukwu condoled with Israel over the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, describing it as a dent on humanity. She expressed hope that ongoing ceasefire negotiations would de-escalate tensions and lead to the release of all hostages.

Ambassador Freeman clarified that Israel has no territorial ambitions in Gaza, stating:

“We left Gaza in 2005 and have no plans of remaining there. However, we cannot allow Hamas to continue controlling Gaza.”

Path Forward

The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to fast-track agreements in technology transfer, education, health, and entertainment. The proposed joint commission is expected to drive and assess bilateral engagements between the two nations moving forward.