The President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has expressed his country’s readiness to partner with the Federal Republic of Nigeria in key economic sectors.
He made this statement during a meeting with the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in his office in Belarus.
President Lukashenko highlighted potential areas for cooperation between the two countries, including agriculture, food processing, industry, and education.
Speaking through an interpreter, he noted that Senator Tinubu’s visit has strengthened his administration’s resolve to enhance bilateral relations with Nigeria, with a particular focus on specialist training.
“We know your needs and we know the possibilities that you have. Let me underline that these possibilities are important and significant for us. We can render significant assistance to you, and you can reciprocate for us. We are willing to explore deeper collaboration in the area of education with your country. Please ask President Bola Tinubu for the visit of our Minister of Foreign Affairs to your country so we can develop these areas of collaboration further,” he said.
In response, Senator Oluremi Tinubu thanked President Lukashenko, especially for providing 20 Nigerian students with full scholarships through her initiative, Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
She explained that RHI is focused on empowering women, particularly through the Women in Agriculture program, which aims to improve food security and production in Nigeria.
She assured that Nigeria would further reach out to Belarus to pursue the desired collaboration between the two nations.
Earlier, the First Lady met with the Belarusian Minister of Education, Andrey Ivanets, who mentioned that there are currently about 600 Nigerian students in Belarus, excelling in various fields.
He expressed his Ministry’s interest in formalizing a bilateral agreement with Nigeria and establishing Specialist Training Centers in the country.
Senator Tinubu praised the Work Experience program of Belarus, stating that it is commendable and would be explored by Nigeria.
During her visit, the First Lady also met with the Speaker of the Belarusian Parliament, Ms. Natalya Kochanova, and members of the Women’s Union of Belarus, comprising professional women from various sectors.
