“The areas of cooperation covered by the bilateral agreement include biotechnology; scientific investigation and innovation; technological development; human resources development; specialist Exchange in the area of Science and Technology; technologies transfer for development areas,” the State House Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola, revealed in a statement he signed Saturday.
The statement is titled ‘Nigeria signs MoU with Cuba for science, technology development.’
Abiola said the signing ceremony, which took place on the sidelines of the G77+China Summit at Hotel Palco La Habana, is the high point of Nigeria’s participation at the summit.
The Minister of Innovation, Science & Technology, Uche Nnaji, signed on behalf of Nigeria while Cuba’s Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, Elba Montoya signed on her country’s behalf.
While extolling President Bola Tinubu for his leadership which, he said, resulted in the signing of the agreement, Nnaji affirmed that Nigeria would maximise the opportunities provided by the bilateral agreement.
He emphasised that the implementation of the agreement will commence in earnest, saying he would set up the appropriate mechanism to work out the modalities for a programme of action.
Shettima stated that Nigeria places a high premium on South-South cooperation as a platform for promoting sustainable development of the global South.
He said, the bilateral agreement would focus on R&D as well as human resource development, furthering deepening partnership between the two countries.
Before the commencement of the Summit, Shettima had told his Cuban counterpart, Salvador Mesa, that Nigeria would use the opportunity offered by the gathering to sign important MoUs with Cuba for agricultural, scientific and technological development.
Present at the signing were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adamu Lamuwa, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, Ben Okoyen and other senior government officials.
