In a historic milestone for Saint Lucia and the broader OECS area, Nigerian President His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu was welcomed at a Particular Joint Sitting of Saint Lucia’s Senate and Home of Meeting, hosted at Sandals Grande on Monday.
The session marked the first-ever tackle by a Nigerian Head of State to the island’s Parliament and signaled a major deepening of Africa-Caribbean relations.
The landmark occasion drew a broad cross-section of regional and nationwide leaders, together with OECS Heads of Authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, non-public sector executives, civil society teams, clergy, and representatives of the Nigerian diaspora in Saint Lucia.
Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre, who hosted the joint sitting, emphasised the historic and cultural ties between the 2 nations. “Saint Lucia and Nigeria share a standard power within the high quality and resilience of our folks,” Pierre mentioned, underscoring the enduring bonds formed by shared African heritage. Reflecting on the importance of the second, he added, “Your go to right here immediately is coming precisely 27 years after the go to of Nelson Mandela. And 27 years is precisely the size of time Mandela spent in jail. So immediately is mostly a day of freedom and celebration.”
President Tinubu, addressing lawmakers for the primary time within the Caribbean, framed his go to as a part of “Nigeria’s renewed dedication to re-engage with these enduring ties,” affirming that Nigeria’s international coverage stays “unapologetically Afrocentric.” He reaffirmed his nation’s help for Pan-African advocacy and the African Union’s engagement with the Caribbean.
Each leaders outlined a framework for strengthened bilateral cooperation throughout a number of sectors:
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Training: President Tinubu pledged full tuition scholarships for OECS college students learning in Nigeria, significantly in maritime and scientific disciplines.
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Local weather Resilience and Agriculture: Proposals have been made for joint analysis and collaboration on adaptation methods, sustainable agriculture, and meals safety.
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Tradition and Tourism: Prime Minister Pierre inspired deeper cultural exchanges and known as for the creation of a direct air hyperlink between the Caribbean and Nigeria to facilitate tourism and enterprise.
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Healthcare: An Settlement of Technical Manpower Help is predicted to be signed, enabling Nigerian medical professionals to serve in Saint Lucia beneath Nigeria’s Technical Support Corps.
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Banking and Renewable Power: Alternatives for Nigerian corporations to spend money on Saint Lucia’s digital and renewable power infrastructure have been additionally mentioned.
President Tinubu additional proposed a visa-waiver association for OECS diplomats and officers and known as for the institution of a proper Joint Fee to supervise cooperation efforts. Quoting Pan-African icon Marcus Garvey, he remarked, “If you wish to go quick, go alone. If you wish to go far, go collectively.”
Prime Minister Pierre closed the session with a name for deeper ties: “Might your go to mark the start of a brand new period of deep friendship, cooperation, and shared success.”
The leaders are anticipated to advance these discussions additional on the upcoming Africa-CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa this September.
