President Bola Tinubu and Philip Pierre, Saint Lucia’s prime minister, have committed to establishing formal diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Caribbean country.
Both leaders harped on the need for cooperation especially
at a time of shifting global alliances and power shifts.
A statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the
president on information and strategy, said the leaders spoke during Tinubu’s
courtesy visit to the prime minister at his official residence in Castries,
Saint Lucia’s capital.
The meeting was held on the second day of Tinubu’s state
visit to the Caribbean nation.
According to the statement, Tinubu acknowledged the enduring
connections between Africans and Caribbeans shaped by a shared past with
historical and cultural ties
“We are determined to nurture and expand this relationship,”
Tinubu said.
The president noted that ongoing efforts to strengthen
bilateral engagement would lay the foundation for enhanced cooperation in
trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural exchange, while improving
consular services for citizens of both nations.
“This is a bridge between Africa and the Caribbean, a
pathway to deepen economic ties and foster mutual understanding. It reflects
our desire to advance prosperity, solidarity, and sustainable development,” he
said.
Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with
Saint Lucia on global issues of mutual concern, including climate change,
disaster response, and development financing.
He also affirmed Nigeria’s support for the priorities and
perspectives of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in international fora.
Pierre added agriculture, health, and physical
infrastructure as key areas of collaboration between both nations.
“The cultural affinities between us are apparent. This is
embedded in our DNA, and time cannot erase it. Saint Lucia is now an established
global centre for cultural festivals,” he said.
“The acclaimed Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival is now a
global brand, and there is much that we can share with Nigeria as it seeks to
establish itself as a centre for global entertainment, particularly in the film
and music industries; moreover, there is an incredible potential for
people-to-people exchange.”
The prime minister noted Saint Lucia’s intention to position
Nigeria at the core as it looks to strengthen its relationship with Africa.
“Your visit comes at a time of heightened global insecurity
and a fundamental shifting in the exercise of power in international relations
by the major powers in the Global North,” Pierre said.
“There is growing uncertainty about the basis and motivation
underlying international relationships. There is growing uncertainty about the
integrity of friendships and alliances in international relationships.
“There is a need for countries in the Global South to
consolidate existing relationships with each other and to create, establish and
develop relationships of cooperation where such relationships do not exist.
Saint Lucia is seeking to do just that with Nigeria.”
Both leaders also discussed their Commonwealth membership as
a platform for collaboration.
Onanuga noted that Tinubu also visited Cyril Charles,
governor-general of Saint Lucia, at the Government House, Morne Fortune.
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