FG to partner with Belarus in oil extraction, agriculture

By Uthman Salami

Federal government has revealed interest in advancing cooperation with Belarus in a number of areas, including oil extraction and agriculture.

The was made known in a meeting between Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Nigeria, Vyacheslav Bril and  Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

During the meeting a broad range of matters concerning Belarus-Nigeria cooperation in various spheres, including agriculture, oil extraction and oil refining, was discussed. The Nigerian side expressed interest in advancing cooperation with Belarus in these spheres as well as in the sphere of education and information and communication technologies.

Boss Mustapha spoke in positive terms about the signing of memorandums of cooperation between Belarus and the Nigerian states of Benue, Imo, and Ekiti. He also praised the Belarusian embassy’s efforts to establish interaction between Belarus and Nigeria in the sphere of vocational training within the framework of the memorandum of cooperation with the National Directorate of Employment of Nigeria.

The Belarusian ambassador also met with Nigerian Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Muhammad Sabo Nanono. The sides discussed the expansion of cooperation between the countries in agriculture. The ambassador conveyed an invitation from Belarusian Industry Minister Piotr Parkhomchik to visit Belarus to get familiar with its potential for making agricultural machines and mounted equipment.

The Belarusian ambassador also met with Nigerian Internal Affairs Minister Rauf Aregbesola. The sides discussed prospects of development of cooperation in security, civil defense, and prevention of emergencies, including the exchange of visits of delegations of the relevant ministries.