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Djibouti seeks stronger trade ties with Nigeria

By Ajibola Amzat, Gbenga Salau and Jesutomi Rotimi
08 September 2015   |   11:03 pm
DJIBOUTI President Ismail Omar Guelleh has indicated the interest of his country to build stronger ties with Nigeria in the area of trade and tourism. Guelleh said Nigeria and Djibouti could work together to stimulate economic integration between the eastern and western Africa. Also, the Consul General of the Germany Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Ingo…
DJIBOUTI President Ismail Omar Guelleh. PHOTO: wikipedia

DJIBOUTI President Ismail Omar Guelleh. PHOTO: wikipedia

DJIBOUTI President Ismail Omar Guelleh has indicated the interest of his country to build stronger ties with Nigeria in the area of trade and tourism.

Guelleh said Nigeria and Djibouti could work together to stimulate economic integration between the eastern and western Africa.

Also, the Consul General of the Germany Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Ingo Herbert, has said that Nigeria’s drive towards development and job creation for its teeming unemployed youths would not see the light of the day without adequate investment in energy.

Herbert spoke in Lagos yesterday at a seminar on Financing Renewable energy projects put together by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany and two German agencies; Herbert said that with the huge energy deficit in the country, there are a lot of possibilities to be taped in the renewable energy sub-sector.

The president who was represented by the Chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free zones Authority, Aboubaker Omar Hadi spoke yesterday at Djibouti Export Free Trade Zone Business Forum organized by Djibouti Consulate in Nigeria at Federal Palace, Lagos.

Guelleh said his country is developing air cargo business that will serve Nigeria and other African countries that currently endure long transit times for their imports coming from Asia.

“A container shipped from Shanghai to Abuja can take anything up to 75 days while a sea-air option trans-shipped in Djibouti only tales a maximum of 20 days,” he said.

He added that the return flight would encourage African countries to also export their fresh produce to countries in the Middle East and beyond.

According to Gulleh, the east African is also building a new industrial free trade zone occupying a total area of 4350 hectares and is located next to all the major ports and airport in the country. The facility will offer access to growing African market such as Nigeria,” he said.

Djibouti is also looking forward to enter into bilateral agreement with Nigeria in the area of rail transport with a view to establishing connection among all regions of Africa.

Earlier, Djibouti Consul General in Nigeria, Dr. Taiwo Owolabi said there is going to be a visit of trade mission to Djibouti in October.

He said the meetings aim to strengthen bilateral relationship between the two countries. Dr. Afolabi was appointed the honorary consular-general to Djibouti in 2010.

Herbert also stated that with the huge opportunities in renewable energy subsector, it implies that projects that would be executed need financing reason he felt the topic of the seminar is important.

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