Nigeria and Senegal have agreed to revive their Joint Commission as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen relations between the two countries.
The commitment was made during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Senegal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cheikh Niang, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kimiebi Ebienfa.
According to the statement, Enikanolaiye described relations between Nigeria and Senegal as excellent, noting that reviving the Joint Commission would provide a platform to explore new areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries.
He stressed the importance of maintaining direct communication between the foreign ministers without unnecessary bureaucracy, saying closer engagement would enhance collaboration and consultation on bilateral and multilateral issues.
The minister also called for increased trade and commercial cooperation, arguing that the strong political relationship between the two countries should translate into tangible economic benefits for their citizens.
Niang congratulated Enikanolaiye on his appointment and commended his efforts to strengthen engagement between the two countries.
According to the statement, the Senegalese minister described Enikanolaiye’s contributions during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers’ meeting as knowledge-based and driven by expertise, adding that such qualities were essential for effective regional cooperation.
He expressed confidence that the renewed engagement between both ministers would further enhance collaboration and consultations on issues of mutual interest between Nigeria and Senegal.
