By Manish Chand
Abuja,(IANS) India and Nigeria Monday announced a “strategic partnership” and signed four pacts to cement ties between one of the world’s fastest growing economies and Africa’s largest oil producing country.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua on a wide spectrum of bilateral and global issues including energy security, intensification of bilateral trade, UN reforms, WTO trade talks and terrorism.
After the talks, the two countries came out with an ambitious “Abuja Declaration” that enunciates an all-embracing vision of India-Nigeria strategic relationship with special emphasis on closer energy partnership.
“Taking into account the commonalities and complementarities between the two countries, it was agreed to establish a strategic partnership between India and Nigeria that would cover bilateral economic, political, trade, security, cultural, education, science and technology and international dimensions,” the Abuja Declaration said.
Memorandums of agreement between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy and another between the Indian Council for World Affairs and the Nigerian Institute for World Affairs were inked after the talks between Manmohan Singh and the Nigerian president.
A protocol on foreign office consultations and another MoU on defence cooperation was also signed.
Manmohan Singh began his historic three-day visit to Nigeria Sunday – the first visit by an Indian prime minister in the last 45 years.
The two leaders also firmed up an all-embracing agenda for closer energy and economic partnership that could include new oil exploration blocks and infrastructure deals as well as a roadmap for diversifying economic relations in sectors such as railways, agriculture, power, fertilisers, automobiles and small and medium enterprises.
The focus is on improving connectivity and enhancing bilateral trade, which is currently estimated to be around $8 billion.
Over the next six months, agreements on double taxation avoidance agreement and bilateral investment and protection will be finalised and signed between the two countries.
A trade agreement and another pact on bilateral air service agreement are also likely to be finalised by April next year. An extradition treaty and an agreement on science and technology will be ready to be signed over the next six months.