The United States has disclosed that President Joe Biden’s African diaspora council will embark on a visit to Nigeria in July, according to a statement released on the Africa page of the U.S. Department of State website following the conclusion of the Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The sixth session of the BNC witnessed the participation of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Kurt Michael Campbell, and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar. The discussions centred on five working groups, focusing on prosperity, security cooperation, democracy, governance, accountability, health, and the movement of people, all aimed at enhancing cooperation and advancing mutual interests between the two nations.
Additionally, the meeting delved into strategic dialogues on how both countries could collaborate to enhance outcomes in areas such as cybercrime, leveraging the African Growth and Opportunity Act, ensuring food security, and fostering growth in the digital economy and emerging technologies.
During the session, Mr. Campbell informed Mr. Tuggar of the upcoming visit of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement to Nigeria in July, although no specific date was provided. Furthermore, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State announced a significant symposium scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. in October, aimed at convening American and Nigerian technology leaders.
Established in 2010, the BNC serves as the premier platform for official engagement between the Governments of the United States and Nigeria, fostering cooperation and advancing shared goals and democratic values. This year’s session built upon the momentum from previous meetings, including the January 23, 2024, meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in Abuja, as well as the last BNC held in Washington, D.C. in February 2020.
