Ambassador of Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Mr Kalilou Traore, says the 2024 African Cup of Nations will create a relevant platform for his country to further deepen cooperation with Nigeria.
Traore stated this in an interview on Sunday in Abuja while speaking on the country’s preparation to host the AFCON tournament from January 14 to February 13, 2024.
This, according to him, has become necessary for the two countries to harness the opportunity to further deepen diplomatic ties between them.
“The AFCON is also a big occasion for us to deepen cooperation. We will strengthen fraternity between our two countries.
“People who go to watch football matches will not just see the matches, they will meet other people and will do business also.
“So, we as an Embassy, we are organising with our partners, we are packaging for those who want to participate in Abidjan at AFCON.
“We also will organise here in Nigeria ‘Fan-zone’ where people will come to see the match. So, we are working on all these promotions cum partnerships with Nigerian authorities and all those private associations of tour operations.
“Now, I can say and I am very proud to say that the relationship between Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria is very good.”
The governments of Nigeria and Ivory Coast as of August 1, 2013, had signed a Bi-National Commission Framework Agreement to pave the way for both countries to clearly define their priorities and goals towards sustainable economic, social, and political relations.
The envoy said that leaders of both countries at the levels of Heads of State and Heads of Ministries have a mutual relationship, saying, “We have a strong agreement, many agreements between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire government”.
“Also, between Nigerian business associations, like the Chamber of Commerce, and their counterparts in Ivory Coast.
“Next year, we are supposed to have the Joint Commission between our two countries, where the officials will meet and review where we have the implementation of priorities or may sign other agreements.
“We cooperate in many areas, in the area of investment of course, trade, peace, and security, where we review Ivorian people coming here to be trained in defence college here, and also, Nigerian officers go to Côte d’Ivoire.
“So, we are working in several areas like agriculture.”
(NAN)
