Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez identified aviation, visas, political consultations, cultural exchanges, and trade as areas of focus for stronger bilateral ties.
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships and aligning its foreign relations with evolving global trends in trade, politics, and culture.
He made this known while receiving the Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez, at the State House in Abuja.
The Colombian delegation comprised senior government, business, and diplomatic officials.
Tinubu noted that global economic volatility and shifting international policies would necessitate new partnerships for shared prosperity.
He assured that Nigeria would replicate agreements recently signed with Brazil on aviation and consular matters with Colombia.
“I believe the Vice President and his team have done the job. Our business opportunities with Colombia have already been enhanced. I support every aspect that you have agreed on.
“Particularly for Colombia, the agreement we entered with Brazil can easily be replicated in aviation, and our diplomatic relations can be enhanced. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will accelerate that,” he said.
The President also urged Colombian business leaders to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and agriculture, stressing that the country’s youthful and growing population provides a robust market and skilled workforce.
Vice President Kashim Shettima described the visit as a chance to rekindle ancestral connections disrupted by slavery and colonialism, adding that political and cultural similarities between both nations would help foster healthy economic collaboration.
Colombian Vice President Márquez identified aviation, visas, political consultations, cultural exchanges, and trade as areas of focus for stronger bilateral ties.
“As the first black Vice President of Colombia, I am extremely delighted to lead this visit to the land of our ancestors. Our ancestors were taken away from Africa centuries ago,” she said.
She added that her visit would lay the foundation for a long-lasting relationship built on cultural heritage and social inclusion.
“We have had a meeting with the business leaders in aviation on the need to start direct flights to Colombia,” Márquez said, noting that Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and the African Union’s stance on restoration and reparation would further strengthen ties with Latin America and the Caribbean.
Also present at the meeting were the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Finance and Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.
