Nigeria, South Africa sign MoU on xenophobia

The federal government has resolved to explore and adopt diplomatic measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and protect their property in South Africa.

The diplomatic measures would include the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries.

The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman, disclosed this Thursday while addressing newsmen at a meeting between the ministry and the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bulkachuwa, in Abuja.

Blueprint reports that the meeting, held at the instance of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday, was for the foreign ministry to update the committee on the status of its handling of the issues of the attacks.

Mustapha, who represented the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said President Muhammadu Buhari would meet with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, in October for a bilateral trade agreement, where the agreement to forestall future attacks against Nigerians resident in South African would be concretised.

According to him, part of the proactive measures was to develop early warning system using the framework of the government of South Africa and Nigeria for deterrence and rapid response in the event of future occurrence.

He said: “Now we are trying to enter into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between us and South Africa to forestall such attacks in the future. Prior before the incident, our president has been invited to South Africa. At the coming October 1 meeting, the MoU will be unveiled. The essence is to determine what to look up to if such happen in the future, the documentation for understanding on how such will be remedied.

“When such happens to Nigerian citizen, what kind of remedy should we expect from the South African government?”

Suleiman, who restated the federal government determination to protect its citizens, wherever they were resident in any part of the globe, said no fewer than 800 Nigerians in South Africa had since signified interest in the ongoing voluntary evacuation from that country.

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