From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) is set to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accelerate the development of Nigerian border communities across 21 states.
The BCDA team led by George Kelly, engaged in an official meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tugga.
A statement from the agency said
key objectives of the courtesy visit included stakeholder engagement, which aims to foster collaboration with members of its governing board, of which the minister is a member.
The statement continued: “Trans-Border Relations and Cooperation, Enhancing relations and cooperation across borders is a priority.
“Implementation of Recommendations: The agency seeks to implement recommendations from previous committees regarding the resettlement of displaced border community residents. These recommendations stem from the 2002 judgement of the International Court of Justice.
“Attracting Foreign Partners: Strategies will be devised to attract foreign partners and agencies for rapid infrastructure and human capacity development in border communities.
“Border Security Enhancement: Strengthening border security is crucial in curbing insurgency.
“Collaboration with Foreign Affairs Ministry: The BCDA aims to collaborate strategically with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Needs Analysis and Redevelopment: Inputs will be collated for the redevelopment of the BCDA’s strategic action plan.”
The Minister, Amb. Jugga, expressed commitment to partnering with the agency to fulfill its mandate.
Additionally, the minister nominated members of his management staff as focal officers for this collaboration.
He said the urgency of trans-border cooperation aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the principles of the ‘Four D’s Diplomacy: Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora.