Doha, 7 March 2024, (TDI): Nigeria Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar on his official visit to Qatar discussed his government’s domestic plans and foreign policy approach.
Yusuf Tuggar was on his official visit to Qatar as part of a high-level delegation led by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The visit resulted in the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Nigeria and Qatar, marking a significant step towards enhanced collaboration in various sectors.
Regarding the ongoing Gaza conflict, he said, “There is no justification for the carnage that is going on in Gaza. It has to stop. There is no justification for the complete disregard for the proportionality of force that is being meted out on innocent civilians, on kids on children, on babies on women.”
He condemned Israel’s brutal actions in Gaza. “Israel must stop its war on Gaza”, he said. “The world needs to drop its “double standards” over the killings in the besieged enclave,” he added.
Bilateral collaboration between Qatar and Nigeria
In addition, Yusuf Tuggar highlighted the potential for collaboration between the two countries in various projects, including ongoing and upcoming gas ventures. These projects include floating LNG initiatives and trans-Saharan gas pipelines, providing avenues for Qatar’s investment and participation.
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As major gas producers, he highlighted that Qatar and Nigeria intend to capitalize on their strengths to expand market shares. He highlighted initiatives to address the current trade imbalance, such as optimizing cargo flights between the two nations.
The discussions between the two nations covered areas such as energy, trade, labor, agriculture, and more. The agreements aim to leverage the strengths of both countries. “Qatar has this Arabic concept of the word “irth” which is legacy, or inheritance. Nigeria is here to forge a common irth, legacy, inheritance with Qatar,” he said.
