Nigeria donated a total of 47 vehicles and military equipment to Niger Republic to assist the country ensure successful hosting of the ongoing 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Niger is also hosting AU First Mid-Year Coordination Meeting and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Niamey.
Amongst the items donated at the request of the Nigerien government are 100 bullet proof vests worth 2.8 million CFA, five Toyota Coastal buses and two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).
It was gathered that the deal which was concluded during the last meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also includes another 40 vehicles of different brands which will be returned to Nigeria at the end of the meeting.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Niger Republic, Attahiru Dahiru, who confirmed the donation of the items in Niamey on Saturday, said “everything they requested for has been provided for them and they are happy.”
President Muhammadu Buhari who departed Abuja on Saturday morning to participate at the conference, is expected to sign the AfCFTA agreement on Sunday.
The Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union is also expected to launch the operational instruments of the Agreement establishing AfCFTA.
The instruments include: AfCFTA Rules of Origin, Tariff Concession Portals, Portal on Monitoring and Elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers, Digital Payments and Clearing Systems and African Trade and Observatory Dashboard.
Recall that President Buhari had delayed signing the documents until his administration embarked on extensive consultations with stakeholders, culminating in the submission of the report by the Presidential Committee to Assess Impact and Readiness of Nigeria to join the AfCFTA.
The committee had recommended that Nigeria should sign the agreement which aims to boost intra-African trade.
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