Toast Remarks by President Jacob Zuma, on the occasion of a State Banquet Hosted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his honour during the State Visit to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja
Your Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
Honourable Senator Olubukola Abubakar Saraki, President of the Senate, National Assembly;
Honourable Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives;
Your Lordship Mahmud Mohammed, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
Honourable Ministers and Ministers of State in both delegations,
Your Excellencies, the Governors of the States of the Federal Republic;
Your Royal Highnesses and Traditional leaders;
Captains of Industry from both South Africa and Nigeria;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Distinguished guests,
Fellow Africans,
Allow me to begin by conveying, on behalf of the Members of the South African Government delegation and I, our most sincere appreciation and delight to have been invited by Your Excellency to this beautiful country, the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let me also extend our sincere appreciation to the people of Nigeria for their warm hospitality and welcome extended to us since our arrival.
Your Excellency,
Allow me to also convey to you and to the people of Nigeria the warmest greetings of the Government and People of the Republic of South Africa.
Your Excellency,
Today marks an important occasion in the history of our time tested relations. We are deeply honoured that you have decided to accord the first State Visit since your assumption of the Office of the President of this great nation, to South Africa. We also truly appreciate the honour of addressing a joint sitting of parliament. This means a lot to the people of South Africa. It indicates how seriously Nigeria takes the need to further deepen relations between our two countries.
Your Excellency
Our presence in this beautiful country of Nigeria reminds us of the fact that Nigeria selflessly contributed to the attainment of freedom from apartheid colonialism in our country. You stood with us against an enemy that seemed indestructible at the time. We need to spread the message to all our people Mr President, that we are one people.
Your Excellency
My visit to Nigeria has a clear purpose. We want to cement the relations between the two countries at all levels - social, political and economic. Cooperation between South Africa and Nigeria has evolved over the years as evidenced by the establishment of the South Africa-Nigeria Binational Commission. The BNC was officially inaugurated in 1999, and was led then by former Deputy President Jacob Zuma in South Africa and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Nigeria. Today we have decided to elevate the BNC to Head of State Level. It will thus be chaired by both us Your Excellency so that we can take full and direct responsibility for the deepening of the relations between the two countries. We have agreed to meet annually to not only discuss bilateral cooperation but to also discuss issues of peace, security and development in the Continent as well as global issues of mutual concern. These include the reform of the United Nations institutions, global economic development and climate change. We will also discuss the deepening of economic cooperation and to further improve trade and investments in the two countries.
Mr President
We are pleased that the numbers of South African companies in Nigeria has grown from only four before 1999 to over one hundred and twenty now. We want to see more Nigerian companies investing in South Africa as well. Tomorrow we will meet with the South Africa-Nigeria Business Council. We will give them a clear message that South Africa and Nigeria are open for business. We want to see two way trade growing between the two countries. Your Excellency, it is also of vital importance that we promote people to people relations. To do this, we need to prioritise education, culture and tourism. We have noted with satisfaction an upward trend in the number of Nigerian tourists visiting South Africa. This, we need not only to encourage but also we need to facilitate and make the movement of people easy. We want to see more South Africans visiting Nigeria as well.
Your Excellency,
We thank you for the message of condolence on the tragic death of 85 South Africans during the collapse of the church building in Lagos in September 2014. We thank the Nigerian government for the support provided during that trying period for our people.
Your Excellency,
Let me reiterate that we are one people. If there are any difficulties that arise in this relationship between our two nations, we will confront those problems and solve them together. We owe it to our people and the continent to find solutions at all times to any challenge that comes our way.
Your Excellency
Our two countries, as the biggest economies on the continent, have a responsibility to play a visible role in the quest for African solutions to African problems. I therefore reiterate my call for our two countries to work together in the quest for peace and security in the continent. We also stand firmly by your side as you combat the scourge of the terrorist insurgency in the north-east of your country.
Your Excellency,
Distinguished guests
I am very upbeat about this visit. We have had fruitful discussions during the day. Our relations have certainly moved to a higher level. Let me thank you once again for extending an invitation to undertake this State Visit. Let me take this opportunity to invite you, Your Excellency, to undertake a State Visit to South Africa.
I thank you.
