Nigeria Advocates Stronger Africa-Europe Partnership

Nigeria is seeking to enhance its strategic partnership with Europe amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges. Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, made this call while speaking at a panel during the Eurafrican Forum in Portugal.

The forum's theme addressed the current global environment characterized by armed conflict, economic fragmentation, terrorism, climate change, and food insecurity. Ojukwu outlined four priority areas to strengthen Africa-Europe relations: promoting economic resilience, industrialization, infrastructure development, and technology transfer.

She emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation in peace and security, counter-terrorism, advancing a fair climate agenda, and increasing climate finance. Ojukwu also called for reforms in global governance institutions to reflect present-day realities, including permanent African representation in the United Nations Security Council.

She reaffirmed Nigeria's foreign policy under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, urging African countries to pursue strategic autonomy in engaging global partners.