China announces a 1 billion grant to tackle insecurity, training, and the production of arms in Nigeria
Days after President Bola Tinubu, confident of building resilient economies that lift millions from poverty, accepted an FID worth CN¥1bn in military and arms production.
Federal government stand
The federal government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced a new milestone in diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China in training of over seven thousand force personnel as part of a broader strategy to tackle terrorism and other forms of insecurity within and outside its borders.
The new treaty was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, at the Aso Villa Abuja in respect of President Tinubu’s warm reception of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.
The ministry explains the determination of the president in keeping the bilateral ties with the Asian giant; the aspiration of the president was made known in a State House briefing shortly after President Tinubu received China’s foreign minister Wang Yi at Aso Rock Villa.
On a week’s tour of four African nations, Wang Yi will stop over in Namibia, the DRC, and Chad, a trip that will end on 11 Jan 2025.
However, in the need to beef up relations with China, the federal government retired the need for strong cooperation with key world players like the PRC in tackling neighboring shared security threats in the region. The minister, Yusuf Tuggar, also explained that working with a country like the Asian giant in local manufacturing of military equipment, both kinetic and non-kinetic, is important.
Tuggar said in the quest to end long waiting days in the procurement of arms that most times witness delays and a lot of regulations will see locally produced arms in combating security issues in the country.
He also maintains the country’s stance as a leading figure in the regional security of the Sahel. Tuggar disavows claims that the country’s military relies on private military companies in the fight against insurgency in the West Africa region, saying we must fight our wars ourselves.
“Let us work together towards solving our problems by ourselves. Let us shun this idea of allowing others to solve our problems for us. So, private military companies, as far as we are concerned, don’t matter whether they’re from the north, south, east, or west. We don’t think it is going to provide the panacea.”
Furthermore, the minister retracts the need to work with China at this critical period of the country, saying it means leading others in solving common goals with no fear of expansionist tendencies.
China’s commitment to Africa
Speaking to the State House correspondents, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi rephrased his country’s contrasting position on foreign involvement in Africa’s internal matters. Yi emphasized the Chinese importance of African nations combating their domestic fight against counterterrorism.
Wang also assured African nations of full backing from the Chinese Communist Party leadership by President Xi Jinping with support aimed at enhancing content security, which includes a CN¥1bn military aide.
“China will firmly support Africa in strengthening peace and security capacity building. We will work with Africa to establish a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative, or GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation.
“China will also continue to support the building of the African Standby Force and the rapid response forces and support African countries in carrying out counter-terrorism peacekeeping operations. China will firmly support Africa in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, practicing true multilateralism, and not letting power politics and bullyism (sic) find their place in Africa,” Wang affirmed.
The foreign minister said China would welcome Nigeria’s membership in BRICS and participation in the global development mechanism. He said China fully supported Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organization, for a second term in office.
The foreign minister said China would also welcome Nigeria’s membership in BRICS and participation in the global development mechanism. He said China fully supported Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organization, for a second term in office.
Meanwhile, the CN¥1bn military assistance package includes training of 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers for various African countries and supporting the African Standby Force and rapid response forces.4
China also promises firm support in fostering peace and force capacity building, ensuring working with Africa to establish a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative, or GSI, and making it a fine instance of GSI cooperation.
