By Fortune Abang
Amb. Kalilou Traore, the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, has extolled the 2024 AFCON tournament as a platform toward deepening Nigeria-Cotè d’Ivoire trade cooperation.
Traore said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria-Cotè d’Iviore AFCON 2023 match finals on Sunday will boost ties between the two countries.
The envoy described the AFCON tournament as an occasion for people to meet and transact business.
“When we meet, we can talk about everything, and deepen trade relations between both countries,” he said.
According to him, it is expected that after the AFCON tournament, all the discussions being made possible through the event will go far in the exchanges between Cotè d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
He said: ”We have worked with Nigeria Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) and they have sent people there.
“Now that we are speaking, we have many discussion there with the Chamber of Commerce in Cotè d’Ivoire and also, the organised private sector association.
“All these target one thing, that is to develop business. This is because Cotè d’Ivoire used to be Capital of industry of francophone countries and Nigeria is the biggest economic industry area in West Africa.
“So, we have to work together. Many discussions and many initiatives are already discussed to develop business.
“We think that it will have serious economic impact on our relationship with Nigeria, as well as other countries.”
The envoy, who also spoke on outcome of the just concluded Feb. 8 Extra-Ordinary Mediation and Security Council Meeting of ECOWAS, said that plans were underway to restore peace and unity in the sub-region.
According to him, it is a serious issue having Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger come up with a communiques to say they want to withdraw from ECOWAS.
He said dialogue had become important because Mali, Burkina Faso and other neighboring countries were having close relationships, not only at economic level but also at many levels.
“We held meeting at the ECOWAS headquarters; we called ECOWAS members and considered the situation.
“All the delegation expressed their regret about the situation, and decided to open dialogue so that these countries that are brother countries should keep ECOWAS framework.
“I can understand some of their complaints and we can discuss everything.
“This is because if they go away from from ECOWAS, we will have lots of problems and the population will suffer.
“It is not a matter of emotion. We have to discuss seriously on all those situations to see how we can resolve our internal problem.
“This was the conclusion of the meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Foreign Affairs and we Cotè d’Ivoire, are exactly in this direction also. We will do all we can to find solution on this crisis,” he said. (NAN)
