By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria and Mali have agreed to convene a Joint Commission to revive dormant bilateral agreements and strengthen cooperation in key sectors, including security, trade, energy and aviation.
The decision was reached during a courtesy visit by the Ambassador of Mali to Nigeria, Oumar Coulibaly, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking during the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu described the proposed Joint Commission as a vital platform for reinvigorating bilateral relations between both countries despite recent geopolitical developments in the Sahel region.
She stressed that Nigeria remained committed to maintaining close ties with Mali, noting that the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the regional bloc would not diminish the long-standing relationship between the two nations.
The minister identified security, trade, energy, irregular migration, human trafficking and the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as priority areas for collaboration under the Joint Commission.
According to her, enhanced military cooperation is essential to tackle terrorism and banditry across the Sahel, adding that the security challenges confronting the region require broader collaboration among neighbouring countries.
“This meeting is long overdue. Nigeria and Mali share common objectives and goals. We need to deepen bilateral relations,” she said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also expressed concern over Mali’s energy challenges, saying Nigeria was ready to explore opportunities for cooperation in the sector while promoting greater ease of movement and stronger people-to-people relations.
She further conveyed the condolences of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian people to Mali over the recent wave of rebel attacks in the country.
In his remarks, Ambassador Coulibaly described Nigeria as Mali’s “big brother,” affirming that bilateral relations should remain strong despite regional political developments.
He advocated sustained political dialogue between the two countries ahead of the Joint Commission, noting that the engagements would help address shared concerns, including human trafficking and cross-border security.
The Malian envoy also announced that, under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, Air Peace is expected to commence direct flight operations between Lagos and Bamako later this month, a move expected to boost connectivity, trade and economic cooperation between both countries.
