Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) says Nigeria and the Republic of Bulgaria will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation.
Magashi disclosed this when the Bulgarian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nigeria, Yanko Yordanov, paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in the country’s capital, Abuja.
The bilateral relations between Nigeria and Bulgaria spanning over five decades is long enough to snowball into stronger defence cooperation, particularly now that Nigeria is confronting internal security threats.
Even though the time is ripe for the two countries to implement a workable MoU, there is a need to diplomatically fulfill all legal requirements.
The minister disclosed that the proposal was being transmitted to the Ministry of Justice for perusal, adding that the technical inputs were being made.
Magashi added that the processes and procedures that the documents are being subjected to require due diligence that will bring out the best in safeguarding the interests of both nations.
The Bulgarian Ambassador, Yordanov, commended the minister for his desire to cement defence bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Yordanov said the signing of the MoU would deepen the existing exchange of military training and explore other critical areas of defence cooperation between Nigeria and Bulgaria.
Yordanov also invited Nigeria to the forthcoming Bulgarian military exhibitions in 2022, an event showcasing an array of new military technologies and modern weaponry developed by the Bulgarian Armed Forces.