The German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, along with Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Bärbel Kofler, are on a visit to Nigeria from February 4 to 7, 2024. The purpose of the visit is to enhance bilateral relations between Germany and Nigeria in the realm of development cooperation.
The German Embassy in Nigeria disclosed this in a statement, highlighting that the visit will involve crucial bilateral meetings with Nigerian officials, including the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.
The German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development plays a pivotal role in planning and formulating the guidelines for German development policy. It is also the principal commissioning partner of the German development agency GIZ.
With diplomatic relations spanning over 60 years, Germany and Nigeria share a longstanding relationship as natural partners, being the strongest economies and the most populous countries on their respective continents. The visit aims to address current global challenges together.
During the visit, Minister Schulze will also meet with Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to discuss the state of development cooperation in West Africa.
Additionally, Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Bärbel Kofler will visit Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, to inspect projects at the University of Lagos and engage in discussions with the Lagos State Government on current challenges and potential collaborations.
Minister Svenja Schulze will travel in her capacity as President of the Sahel Alliance. The Sahel Alliance is an international cooperation platform that aims to provide more and better support for development initiatives in the Sahel region, focusing on areas such as youth employment, climate and energy, governance, decentralisation, basic services, food security and agriculture, and security.
