The Sunday Mail
NIGERIA President Muhammadu Buhari last week met his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, weeks after xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg triggered tensions between Africa’s leading economies.
Nigerians were among those targeted during the wave of violence which resulted in the death of 12 people and led to an extraordinary airlift of hundreds of people last month.
President Ramaphosa took an opportunity to condemn the violence, saying: “Early warning mechanisms will be set up so that when we see there is restiveness in both of our people… we will be able to inform one another to find ways — and active ways — of ensuring that we do not have recurrences.
“And at the same time, we will cooperate at a number of levels, including the policing level, including the intelligence-sharing information level.”
He added: “We are equally committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all those involved in criminal activities, regardless of their nationality, are prosecuted.”
The violence prompted Nigeria to repatriate hundreds of citizens, and for President Buhari to declare, after a private meeting with the South African leader, that the two countries would do more to stop future outbreaks.
Amid warm smiles and a joint commitment to strengthen bilateral relations, President Buhari said the attacks were “unacceptable” and called for preventive measures.
“We have decided to work and take concrete measures together to prevent every occurrence of such unacceptable incidents… We call for the strengthening and implementation of all the necessary measures.”
It was President Buhari’s first visit to South Africa since President Ramaphosa’s new administration was established earlier this year.
The three-day visit is also the first to the country by a Nigerian leader since 2013.
Economic ties
Presidents Buhari and Ramaphosa, accompanied by key ministers, discussed various issues, including strengthening economic relations.
The Nigerian leader’s visit marks the 20th anniversary of a Bi-National Commission (BNC) established between the two countries in 1999.
Since then, dozens of trade agreements have been signed between the two countries.
In 2018, the total value of trade between South Africa and Nigeria amounted to $3,35 billion, making Nigeria South Africa’s largest trade partner in West Africa.
A joint business forum between South Africa and Nigeria was also held.
“We want to create an enabling environment for doing business in our respective countries,” said President Ramaphosa, pointing out road, mining and infrastructure as key areas.
The South African leader also acknowledged Nigeria’s support in the struggle against apartheid.
President Ramaphosa also aimed some criticism at the United Nations, whose permanent Security Council has never included an African member.
“We both agree that the U.N. Security Council architecture governance should be changed. It is not acceptable that the United Nations Security Council is just a club for a few countries and it’s not representative,” he said.
“So we want representativity. We want Africa to be represented. We want equity. There should be equitable representation on the U.N. Security Council. We are very clear and we are firm on that.”
President Buhari said his government was committed to fighting unemployment and poverty in his country.
He also promised more opportunities for investors in Nigeria.
‘Concrete measures’
Analyst Ryan Cummings, who heads the political and security risk management consultancy, Signal Risk, said the meeting set an important diplomatic tone.
“The key developments through all of this is that South Africa and Nigeria are continuing to respond to this and other challenges affecting both countries through diplomacy and that kind of diplomatic engagement is still the order of the day. Not everyone is going to be happy with that,” he said.
“I think that even the sense of collaboration between these two countries and between the two governments is an important kind of countermeasure to the kind of tense relations and nationalism which exists between South Africans and Nigerians at this time.”
Strength, and a seat at the table
And, as Cummings added, through unity comes strength. The two nations have the largest economies on the African continent and are seeking to boost inter-African trade and cooperation as a way to boost the continent’s economy and lessen its dependency on the international community.
Buhari’s three-day visit included a business forum, a meeting of a bi-national commission and interaction with Nigerian expatriates in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.
Formal relations between the two countries were established after the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994.
President Buhari and his ministers were welcomed with cannon shots and a guard of honour under a bright spring sun.
At the welcome ceremony in Pretoria’s Union Buildings, Ramaphosa and Buhari referred to each other as “brothers”. — Online sources.
