President Bola Tinubu has left the caribbean nation, St. Lucia, for Brazil, to attend the 17th Summit of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) in Rio de Janeiro, to secure support of other nations attending the two day events on social, economic, and environmental development.
Tinubu, who is attending the summit scheduled for July 6-7 at the invitation of the Brazilian president, Lula da Silva, on the strength of Nigeria’s status as a ‘partner country’- a membership category short of full status.
As gathered, the Partner status is higher than that of a guest country, as has been the case in the past. South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are African members of BRICS.
The 17th BRICS Summit will focus on “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”.
Tinubu departed St. Lucia after six days of engagement with the country’s leaders, renewing the bilateral relations between Nigeria and the Carribean nation as well as signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government to boost tourism and others between both nations.
After this visit, there is expected to be a pathway for infrastructure development, educational cooperation, youth empowerment, and diplomatic exchange.
Tinubu’s visit underscores Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic and economic relations with Caribbean states, especially within the African Union’s Sixth Region framework, which recognises the African diaspora as an essential partner in the continent’s development.
Nigeria and Saint Lucia share ties through membership in international organisations such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, and they have a common heritage rooted in African ancestry.
