Saturday 23 December 2017

CHRIS OWUSHI EZE SPEAKS AT 4TH INDIA-AFRICA TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Ambassador Chris Owusi Eze
How often do you see a continent so richly blessed that you find yourself weeping owing to her untapped potentials? This was the question that floated the confines of the conference hall of Le Meridiem Hotel, New Delhi, when the Nigerian High Commissioner to India, His Excellency Major General Chris Owushi Eze, delivered his inaugural address on the occasion of the 4th India-Africa Trade And Investment Forum 2017.

It was a distinctive session that brought together Ghana, India, Japan, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tunisia, and more than fifty other partnering countries across continents, where both sides reviewed trade relations and discussed priority areas for future cooperation by mutually agreeing to enhance the scope of business-to-business contacts and trade expansion.

It is not so well known before now among Asian countries which direction Africa is going, but the truths is that the keynote address by His Excellency Chris Owushi Eze was revelatory. According to the address, Asia partnership with Africa is a qualified thing, and that such partnership no matter how robust and freely given, is not always enough for both sides to mutually move up the ladder. There must be need for collective involvement in the global value chain, through the strengthening of investment relationship between Africa and Asia, especially since there can't be, in most part, trade without investment.

At the end of the session, Asia was understood to have acknowledged Africa as a continent for the future, and willing to revive its offer and determination towards creating and promoting a sustainable partnership between Africa and Asia through the elimination of investment bottlenecks like rigid visa policy, high taxation etc. It was indeed a diplomatic achievement for Nigeria to be so honoured.

No comments:

Post a Comment