President Bola Tinubu is set to leave France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Tinubu had arrived in France last Wednesday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
A statement from Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the BNC session, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2 at the South African Parliament in Cape Town.
The two leaders will hold extensive talks on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. They will also review progress made since their June 20, 2024 meeting in Johannesburg, following President Ramaphosa’s second-term inauguration. The last BNC session took place in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021.
The 11th BNC will feature discussions across eight key areas: political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defense and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments.
During the high-level meeting, officials will sign multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements.
The Nigeria-South Africa BNC, established in 1999, aims to deepen cooperation between the two nations. The first Heads of State-level session was held in Pretoria in October 2019. This year’s meeting marks the 25th anniversary of the Commission, highlighting the enduring partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.
