As the G20 opens today in New Delhi, India, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has tasked the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra D. Modi with visas on arrival for Nigerians.
Onyeama who attended the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting hosted by India between March 1 and 2, also urged India to speed up the issuance of the
Business Visa for Nigerians is a reciprocal gesture.
A statement signed Wednesday by the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister, Sarah Sanda, stated that the meeting focused on strengthening multilateralism as well as increasing cooperation on food and energy security, sustainable development and counter-narcotics.
Others are global health, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, gender equality as well as women’s empowerment.
Before the G-20 Meeting, Minister Onyeama is said to have met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishanker and conveyed President Muhammadu Buhari’s appreciation to the Prime Minister of India for the invitation extended to Nigeria to participate in the G. – 20 meeting.
“They also requested to be granted visas on arrival in Nigeria as a reciprocal gesture”, the statement read in part.
While paying tribute to the growing bilateral relations between Nigeria and India, Onyeama stressed the need to strengthen economic, trade and investment cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The Minister acknowledged the continued cooperation in the field of education and welcomed direct air flights between the two countries.
Also on the sidelines of the G20- Meeting, Minister Onyeama met with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Viera and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to South-South Cooperation and the Group of 77 (G-77).
He added that the global south expects Brazil to chair the G-20 next year.
Both Ministers of Foreign Affairs further identified areas in both countries that can strengthen cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels.