FG, EU to deepen partnership in security, trade, others

By Nkiruka Nnorom

Nigeria and the European Union will continue to strengthen cooperation in different areas such as trade, security, education and technology, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said.

Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Office of the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said the minister stated this during the 4th Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Lecture.

The lecture, held as part of the university’s Founders’ Day commemoration, was organised by Chukwu Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) to honour the legacy of the late Igbo leader and Biafran war-time head of state, after whom the institution is named.

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, delivered the guest lecture on the theme- “Sustainable and Climate Resilience Future: Beyond Rhetorics.”

She said that the memorial lecture was particularly significant at a time the world was increasingly interconnected, yet confronted by complex challenges, ranging from security concerns and economic uncertainties to climate change and shifting geopolitical dynamics.

She highlighted the critical role of diplomacy in the prevailing global situation.

“This partnership continues to yield tangible benefits in areas such as trade, education, governance, security cooperation, and capacity building,” she stated.

She also said that Nigeria would continue to play a pivotal role on the global stage, advancing peace, security, and development, particularly within the framework of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African continent at large.

Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed that the country’s foreign policy remained anchored on the principles of mutual respect, non-interference, strategic partnerships, and the protection of national interest.

According to her, the Igbo leader loved planting trees, and understood long before many others, even before climate action became more amplified, that respecting nature’s balance was important and that “trees were the silent guardians of our air, our soil and our future.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as we reflect on the life and legacy of Dim Ojukwu, let us recommit ourselves to building a Nigeria anchored on justice, unity, and shared prosperity. Let us invest in education, empower our youth, and strengthen our institutions, for these are the pillars upon which sustainable development rests.”

She also charged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution, urging them to see the knowledge they had acquired as mere foundation because their character, resilience, and integrity will define their journey.

“Be ambassadors of this great institution, uphold its values, and contribute meaningfully to national and global development,” she stated while further highlighting the importance of strengthening the nexus between academia and policy.

The minister said that universities must continue to serve as think tanks, generating ideas and research that can inform government policies, particularly in areas of foreign relations, economic diplomacy, and national development strategies.

She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would remain open to such collaborations, as they work towards projecting Nigeria’s image positively on the global stage.

The minister said: “I commend the organisers for putting together this important event and assure you of the continued support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in promoting educational diplomacy and international cooperation.”

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu linked the theme to her late husband’s lifelong environmental ethos, noting that COOU’s promotion of climate resilience reflects the values of the man it honours.

She recalled that the late leader “loved planting trees” and grasped early on that respecting nature’s balance was critical, even before climate action gained global prominence.”

He understood long before many others that trees were the silent guardians of our air, our soil and our future,” she added.

The EU Ambassador, Mignot described the minister as a major promoter of Nigeria-EU partnership.

He noted that climate action could be expensive but said that it was more detrimental to do nothing.