By Ayodele Oni
The Federal Government has extended a hand of fellowship to the State of Israel in the areas of establishment of a joint commission to enhance bilateral relations across various sectors, such as security, agriculture, health, education, and film production.
A statement by Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication & New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, stated that this was revealed after a meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Michael Freeman, at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja.
According to the statement, Ambassador Ojukwu emphasized the importance of people-to-people diplomacy and expressed optimism about strengthening ties between both nations.
She welcomed Israel’s proposal for a high-level dialogue in Abuja and assured that both parties would work towards its realization.
“Israel is renowned for its expertise in security and counter-terrorism. We look forward to expanding our collaboration beyond bilateral relations. Nigeria seeks to leverage Israel’s advanced technology, especially in tackling food insecurity.”
Highlighting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the minister stressed the government’s commitment to alleviating poverty and ensuring food security.
She expressed particular interest in Israel’s drip irrigation technology, which could significantly boost Nigeria’s rice production.
“The $250 million trade volume between our countries is minimal. We hope Nigerian investors will explore export opportunities in Israel. We are also eager to strengthen collaboration in the security sector.”
Ojukwu further proposed a joint commission to oversee and assess bilateral relations and called for a film production agreement between Nigeria and Israel, citing Nollywood’s global influence.
She also acknowledged Nigeria’s substantial contribution to religious tourism in Israel and advocated for Nigerians residing in Israel for over five years without criminal records to be granted citizenship.
On regional security, the minister conveyed Nigeria’s condolences over the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, describing it as a tragic event.
She expressed hope that the ongoing ceasefire would lead to de-escalation and the release of remaining hostages.
“When the October 7 attacks happened, it was traumatic for many. It was a dark chapter for humanity. Nigeria acknowledges this tragedy, and we hope the world will work towards ensuring such atrocities never happen again.”
Responding, Ambassador Freeman reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic and economic ties with Nigeria.
He noted that bilateral trade between the two countries had reached $250 million before the Hamas conflict and expressed confidence in its growth.
“There is immense potential for deeper cooperation in agriculture, water management, education, and health. With our drip irrigation technology, rice can be cultivated anywhere. Next week, we will demonstrate this by planting rice at our embassy farm.”
The envoy also highlighted Israel’s contributions to healthcare, entrepreneurship, and innovation in Nigeria, mentioning the i-FAIR mentorship programme, which has trained 2,000 Nigerians and aims to double that number.
Additionally, Freeman revealed that a Nigeria-Israel film co-production agreement has been stalled within the Nigerian system for over a year. However, he confirmed ongoing collaboration on a joint movie project.
The ambassador reaffirmed Israel’s stance on the Hamas conflict, stating that the country has no territorial ambitions in Gaza or Lebanon.
“Israel has no plans of staying in Gaza. We withdrew in 2005, and we do not intend to remain there. However, we cannot allow Hamas to control Gaza.”
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