Nigeria has strengthened its diplomatic engagement with African partners through a series of high-level bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The meetings focused on regional security, economic cooperation, migration and development.
Leading the Nigerian delegation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, held separate talks with the Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tete António, and Libya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of National Unity, Taher Al-Baour. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Taiwo Oyedele, also attended the African Union meeting.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said her discussions with the Angolan Foreign Minister centred on consular issues, economic cooperation and preparations for the Extraordinary Summit on Peace and Security scheduled to take place in Angola in August.
She noted that Nigeria and Angola have maintained cordial relations for more than five decades and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The minister also described her meeting with Bekele-Thomas as constructive, saying both sides discussed Africa’s development agenda and explored opportunities to deepen collaboration between Nigeria and AUDA-NEPAD.
In a separate meeting with Libya’s Foreign Minister, Taher Al-Baour, discussions focused on continental security challenges, particularly efforts to combat human trafficking and the illicit trade in arms.
The ministers also examined the possibility of prisoner transfer arrangements and initiatives to facilitate the safe return of victims of refugee-smuggling networks. They reaffirmed the need for stronger regional cooperation to tackle transnational crime across the continent.
