The Jamaican High Commissioner to Nigeria, Esmond Reid, on Wednesday outlined his the country’s readiness to deepen bilateral relations with Nigeria through the maiden “Motherland Reconnect” programme.
Reid outlined Jamaica’s preparedness in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to the the high commissioner, the reconnect programme is scheduled to hold between Oct. 11 and 21.
He said that his visit to the ministry was geared toward preparation for the event.
Reid said, “This is an opportunity for Jamaicans and Nigerians to sit and talk specific things that makes our cooperation rich and rewarding.
“We are going to have a chartered flight to Jamaica, the timing is from October 11 to 21, and inside that will be an opportunity to converse widely.
“Also, for business investment to take place, because that is one area of our cooperation, which has not been as strong as others.
“We are strong in cultural area, technological cooperation and all these things, but trade and investment is one that needs to be strengthened.
“This is opportunity for chattered flight, business investment and market place we are looking at, so people can get the chance to exchange goods, services and cultural opportunities.”
The Jamaican high commissioner said measures had been put in place to ensure the success of the event, promising that such would boost the volume of trade between both countries.
“We really want to make this a very big engagement from both sides, we will also be bringing people from Jamaica to experience Nigeria business climate.
“It is a two-way treat, we hope this becomes a launch-pad for additional engagement going forward.
“The volume of trade is very limited, it is so small we can barely see it, which is unfortunate because the potential is there from our historical culture.
“We have so much in common, it is no brainer that we should already be having multiple avenues for cooperation and this is what we are trying to correct.
“We are definitely going to ensure that after this edition and five years later, we would see a radical transformation,” the envoy said.
In separate interview, Amb. Bolaji Akinremi, Director, Economic, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commended the Motherland Connect initiative to be apt in investment promotion.
The director described the programme as a private and public sector initiative, whereby agencies leverage government presence to promote business.
“We are preparing to engage both private sectors and MDAs that are relevant, in terms of economic, trade and investment in Nigeria, to play great role in making this happen.
“We are just going to have a first meeting today, the event is still in October and we must ensure we move at jet speed.
“To ensure all the relevant stakeholders are on board, this is about investment, but first we must project it in ways that will match their interest.
“We must get right people involved, we are going to be connecting the Chambers of Commerce, private sectors, diplomatic community and the Caribbean,” Akinremi said.
He explained motherland connection to mean platform for promoting African-Caribbean trade relations, saying Africans often traded less among themselves.
According to him, such platform would be extended to deepen Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with other countries in the Caribbean.
“This is an eye opener, while we are also extending same to our brothers across the ocean, there is the need for them to connect.
“Although there is limited trade-volume, the connection we are having now will broaden such, when it comes to creative industry, Jamaica is lucrative for trade.
“We will bring on board Afrobeats, there are lots of basis to deepen our cooperation. If we do this successfully with Jamaica, we can do it with other countries.
“Jamaica is the leader this is why we are taking this, we want Femi Ortedola, Mike Adenuga and Aliko Dangote to know their brothers need them and they have to take lead,” he said.
