Nigeria and Jamaica have pledged to strengthen their bilateral and economic relations at the opening of the fourth Session of the Nigeria and Jamaica Joint Commission taking place in Abuja, Nigeria.
Note that the Joint Commission governs the framework for cooperation between the two countries.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed that the two countries have put in place mechanisms to strengthen bilateral relations in several mutually beneficial areas.
He noted that the Joint Commission deliberated on issues bordering on education, cultural cooperation, economic and trade matters, technical cooperation, energy cooperation and migration.
The Minister further noted that Nigeria is determined to ensure that these joint commissions will not be just an annual or biannual ritual adding that a proper mechanism has been put in place to monitor and ensure that real and practical are taken to achieve what the two countries sign up and agree to.
He said there is a lot that binds Nigeria and Jamaica together, adding that they are all sovereign countries and as such, still have to put in place mechanisms to strengthen their relationship.
“We are both from the same source and so we are essentially the same people. We are brothers and sisters and we do not see them as just another country with which we trade and develop relations.
“For us, they are kith and kin and that’s how our policy towards Jamaica and other countries of the Caribbean is founded on that basis of kinship.
“Although it is one short flight, the impact will really be a giant leap for the relations between Nigeria and Jamaica as well as the rest of the Caribbean. We are actually hoping that Jamaica will be the possible hub for Nigerian flights to the Caribbean.”
