By Deborah Coker
Nigeria and Germany have expressed commitment to renew and expand their partnership in the areas of security and infrastructure development.
According to Dr Ibrahim Kana, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, the two countries have decades of unwavering support and collaboration in defence and infrastructure.
Kana said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the German government has supported the Nigerian military in various ways to advance the security of the country.
“Today we announce our renewal and expansion of partnership with Germany for the period 2024 to 2028, aiming to identify key areas for collaboration to ensure continued support for the development and security of Nigeria,” he added.
The permanent secretary said this when he visited Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue in company of the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Günther.
They were in Makurdi to take over a facility provided by the German government at the Nigeria Army School of Military Engineers.
During the courtesy to the governor, Kana appreciated the German government for establishing a state of the art prosthesis and rehabilitation centre at 44 Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna.
He said that the hospital was very valuable to Nigeria as injured personnel get their lost limbs replaced promptly and at no cost, thus boosting troops morale and saving government huge foreign exchange.
According to him, the visit to Makurdi is another significant moment in the partnership between the two countries.
On her part, Günther restated the commitment of the German government to supporting Nigeria in various endeavors, including training of military personnel in identifying and managing improvised explosive devices.
She emphasised Germany’s dedication to mutual progress and security, citing joint projects as examples of fruitful cooperation.
In his response, Alia expressed commitment to driving sustainable development and improving the livelihood of the people of the state.
He outlined areas of potential collaboration with Germany in the areas of investment, technical assistance, education and skills development, healthcare and infrastructure, security management, environmental conservation and climate change.
Other areas he said were cultural exchanges and tourism, humanitarian development assistance, capacity building, institutional strengthening, and private sector engagement.
He said he would pursue fruitful engagement with Germany for cooperation to advance the shared goals of peace, prosperity, and security.
“The partnership between Nigeria and Germany holds great promise for both nations, and through continued collaboration and support, they aim to achieve sustainable development and improve the lives of their citizens”, he said. (NAN)