Nigeria, Japan agree to join forces against terrorism in Sahel

The Federal Government and the government of Japan have agreed to work together in ending terrorism and other security crises in the Sahel region.

The Sahel region is made up of countries including Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Senegal, South Sudan, CAR, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

“We talked about cooperation with Japan to address the root cause of terrorism and instability in the Sahel region as well, as the issue of Boko Haram in North Eastern Nigeria,” Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed in a joint statement after a two-day meeting in Abuja with the delegation from Japan led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ms Kamikawa Yoko.

The statement added: “We agreed on the crucial need for all stakeholders to shore up efforts towards combatting the ugly menace of terrorism within the region.

“On her part, the Japanese Foreign Minister has assured of the continued support of her government towards ending the crisis within the regions.”

The statement also disclosed that the two countries shared similar views about the need for reform at the United Nations Security Council, for a balanced geographical representation, the need for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of arms as well as the need for increased advocacy for Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

More so, they agreed that although Nigeria and Japan enjoy robust economic relations, there was a need for engagements to increase the volume of trade between both countries.

“We discussed the opportunities for investment in the Nigerian market, particularly in areas of Manufacturing, digital technology, solid minerals and capacity building,”, the statement disclosed, adding that both sides have agreed to leverage the outcomes of the meeting towards ensuring deeper economic collaborations.