PRESS RELEASE-OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX,ABUJA.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PLAYS HOST TO THE AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA AS THEY RE- COMMIT TO DEEPENING CO-OPERATION IN ALL AREAS,INCLUDING THEIR PARLIAMENTS.
The above ,which followed a courtesy call on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives by the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria,H.E,Dr Usra Hendra Harahap, was the major highlight of the visit ,which took place on Tuesday, February 25,2020, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
Nigeria and the Republic of Indonesia have agreed to deepen co-operation and bilateral relations in all areas and levels of human relationships. They have agreed to use their influence in other multilateral corporations and groups to always draw support for each other’ s quest per time.
Speaking on the occasion, the Indonesian Ambassador chronicled the long history of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Indonesia and Nigeria,who,he observed, has been their country’ s largest trading partner in the Sub- Saharan African Region with a trade volume of over 2.9 Billion USD in 2018 alone.
According to the Ambassador:
” From the beginning of the establishment of our two countries’ diplomatic relationship in 1965,a lot of achievements have been done in the field of politics, defense,socio- cultural activities and,more importantly, in the areas of trade and development .”
Continuing,Ambassador Harahap used the occasion to inform that,as a strong and strategic partner to Indonesia in Africa, with similar modalities and strength, Nigeria’s diversity and abundant,rich natural resources possess competitive advantages that are lacking in other countries. While suing for stronger collaboration and co- operation on the different layers of Government-to -Government, Business-to -Business and even People-to-People ,the Diplomat observed that the both countries could grow together and bring about sustainable economic development for the good of Nigeria and the Republic of Indonesia.
Furthermore, Ambassador Harahap said Nigeria and the Republic of Indonesia,being promoters of peace in their regions and across the world, should take the opportunity of their co- operation to focus fully on the two major advantages of traditional friendship and strong economic complementarity. This ,he said ,would be used in international platforms to enhance mutual political trust,maintain close and friendly relations on all levels and areas ,expand cultural and people- to-people contact in education, science and technology, culture ,youth and the media. This,he stressed, would in turn reinforce cooperation in the areas of security and enhance communication and coordination on major international issues, apart from jointly safeguarding the interest of the two countries and other developing ones.
Responding on behalf of the Speaker and members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee and Member representing Gombi/ Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub,said Nigeria and the Republic of Indonesia would continue to maintain all collaborative activities that are aimed at achieving mutual development and support for each other as obtain in such international organisations, like the UN,the OIC, the D8 and the Organisation for Developing Countries to which the both countries belong. Buba recalled that the two countries had in the past witnessed high- level reciprocity visits by State officials in 2017 ,which in 2019 resulted in the establishment of an Indonesian Company,TT Mines Ltd that generated employment for our youth and contributed to the country’s GDP.
While welcoming further investments in the nation’s economy,the Adamawa- born Rep. used the occasion to invite Indonesian Companies to participate in Nigeria’s infrastructure development,supply of vehicles and spare parts to our railway sub- sector and in other sectors upon which Indonesia has achieved better advancement. He also used the occasion to request the Ambassador to persuade the Indonesian business community to take advantage of the Nigerian Government’ s new initiative on the Ease of Doing Business and encourage them to invest in Nigeria,while promising to avail them of the necessary Parliamentary support to enact investment- friendly laws that would in the months ahead consolidate their investments; especially, through a Parliament-to-Parliament co-operation and collaboration.
While thanking Ambassador Harahap for the courtesy call,Rt. Hon. Buba promised that the Committee would reciprocate the visit.
Nkem Anyata- Lafia
SA to the Rt. Hon. Buba.
March 2,2020.