抖阴短视频

RIYADH: Nigeria on Thursday pledged its full support for 抖阴短视频鈥檚 ambitious bid to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

The two countries have a long history of cooperation and have always supported each other at international forums, Yahaya Lawal, the Nigerian ambassador to 抖阴短视频, told Arab News during an exclusive interview.

鈥淐ertainly, Nigeria has extended full support to the Saudi bid to host Expo 2030,鈥� the envoy said. 鈥淧resident Muhammadu Buhari has given his go-ahead when he spoke recently to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.鈥�

The crown prince announced the Saudi bid in October last year and the formal application was submitted in December during a virtual meeting of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions. The Kingdom has already received a number of international endorsements and has emerged as a strong contender. There are five stages to the candidature process, which will culminate in a vote in late 2023.

Lawal said that in general the relationship between Nigeria and 抖阴短视频 is strong.

鈥淥ur relations, especially at the political level, have largely been excellent,鈥� he said. 鈥淐lose understanding exists between our leaders and we will exchange views from time to time on various issues of bilateral cooperation.

鈥淲e also have various high-level visits, ministerial visits to the Kingdom and vice versa. Just a few days ago, Nigerian Minister of Trade and Investment Mariam Yalwaji Katagum was here. So that signifies the importance attached to this bilateral cooperation.鈥�

Trade represents a key element of the relationship, according to the envoy, and one that Nigeria is keen to further enhance.

鈥淭rade is very important, although it鈥檚 not as large as we would have wished but it is growing,鈥� he said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 forget the two countries are OPEC members, so they have very close cooperation within the framework of OPEC, and now OPEC+, in order to continue stabilizing the international oil market.鈥�

He highlighted the 鈥渆xcellent cooperation between the two countries, especially at the political level鈥� and added 鈥渢rade is growing; all cooperation is moving forward.鈥�

Lawal noted that late last year, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Nigeria and met his Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, to discuss all aspects of the bilateral relationship.

鈥淲e also expect a return visit this year to the Kingdom, as the Saudi foreign minister has invited his counterpart to Riyadh,鈥� said Lawal.

鈥淭he date for the visit is yet to be finalized. We hope that before the visit there is the joint bilateral commission between Nigeria and 抖阴短视频. It was to have met in December last year in Abuja but due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, it was postponed. So we are waiting for a new date to meet in Abuja.鈥�

The joint bilateral commission is a very important framework for cooperation, he said, under which a wide range of issues 鈥� including political, economic, security, military, trade, investment, technology and labor 鈥� can be discussed.

There are a number of sectors in which Nigeria would like to develop closer ties with 抖阴短视频, according to Lawal.

鈥淭rade is one and this was discussed when the Saudi foreign minister visited Nigeria,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have to build trade between our two countries. Investment on both sides is also important.

鈥淭hese days, all relations between countries are largely based on trade, commercial exchanges and investment. We also have other important areas, such as the oil sector, information, the digital economy and digital cooperation.

鈥淥ur interest is to further strengthen our bilateral ties and to elevate them to a strategic level. We had an agreement in 2019 to establish what we call the Nigerian-Saudi Business Council; this is where we want to put emphasis now.鈥�

Discussions are in progress for the formation of the council, Lawal said, and once it is up and running all the key issues of trade, investment and commercial exchanges will be given all due attention.