Northern group faults Nigeria, France relations
By Kasim Isa Muhammad
Kanempress News
25th December 2024
The Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI) has decried the seeming romance between France and Nigeria.
The Northern group particularly faulted the bilateral agreements signed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu with the French government during his recent official visit to the European nation.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative, Dr Abdullahi Idris, recalled that during the recent state visit to France, President Tinubu signed several agreements, including military cooperation and exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources by France.
Idris said: “At the moment, our people in the North live in apprehension of the possible setting up of French military bases in the North, and the exacerbation of the insecurity that has already ravaged the region, going by the antecedents of France that has made it to be kicked out of almost all its former colonies in Africa, including our neighbours of Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso. Why is Nigeria now inviting them?”
He, through the Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative, called on the Federal Government, “to be transparent on the kind of deals it signed with France, and the benefits they will bring to Nigeria to allay the fears and apprehensions of the people of the North, who are likely to be the victims of France’s traditional misadventure in Africa.”
Similarly, the Nigeria-Belgium Friendship Parliamentary Group, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties between Nigeria and Belgium through a series of strategic and forward-looking initiatives.
The efforts, according to the Chairman of the Nigeria-Belgium Friendship Parliamentary Group, Dr Ahmed Adamu Saba, are to enhance collaboration in critical areas such as trade, education, agriculture and cultural exchange, with the goal of fostering mutual understanding and delivering tangible benefits for both nations.
Saba , while outlining the group’s comprehensive work plan for 2025, stressed fostering mutual understanding and practical collaboration.
“Central to these efforts is the Nigeria-Belgium-Luxembourg Business Forum, slated for Q2 2025, which aims to create new trade opportunities, attract investment, and deepen economic ties. Furthermore, the Expanded Flanders-Nigeria Trade Mission will extend its reach to include more Nigerian states, ensuring equitable regional development,” the Chairman of the Nigeria-Belgium Friendship Parliamentary Group, Dr Ahmed Adamu Saba stated.
He said: “In education, the Nigeria-Belgium Academic Exchange programme will avail students and lecturers participating in semester exchanges and joint research efforts in areas such as climate change and technology.
Additionally, the Nigeria Arts and Culture Festival, scheduled for August 2025, will serve as a platform to celebrate Nigerian traditions, arts, and cuisine, fostering cultural appreciation between the two nations of Nigeria and Belgium.”
Speaking on the initiative, Saba stated: ‘This is a pivotal moment for Nigeria-Belgium relations. By building on our shared interests and creating impactful programmes, we can deepen our partnership for mutual benefit across cultural, educational, and economic spheres.
“The Nigeria-Belgium Friendship Parliamentary Group has outlined a comprehensive framework to ensure these initiatives yield measurable outcomes, strengthen bilateral relations, expand trade volumes, and increase academic and cultural collaboration,” he concluded.
