The Nigerian Government and the People’s Republic of China have signed an Exchange of Notes worth one million US dollars to support Nigeria’s flood relief efforts.
The assistance is aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to emergencies and mitigate the impact of flooding on affected communities.
The signing of the Exchange of notes which took place at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Abuja, had the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu representing the Nigerian government and Ambassador of People’s Republic of China Yu Dunhai representing his country.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu who signed for Niheria said “the gesture reflects the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries, built on mutual respect, cooperation, and a shared vision for sustainable development.”
Senator Bagudu noted that the assistance was timely, as it is targeted at communities in States that have been most affected by recent flooding disasters, including Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno, Taraba and Adamawa.
He said that “the intervention will go a long way in complementing government’s ongoing efforts to provide relief materials and rebuild the livelihoods of those severely impacted areas.”
Also, the Minister emphasised that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, would coordinate the effective implementation of the project.
Senator Bagudu said: “a transparent framework, leveraging past experiences and unified templates, will guide the process to ensure that the assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries in the most efficient and impactful manner.”
He said the Nigerian Government fully welcomed the joint monitoring and evaluation mechanism agreed with the Embassy of China.
He noted that it would ensure transparency and accountability, promote learning, and strengthen partnership in humanitarian and development cooperation.
Appreciating the People’s Republic of China, the Minister said the humanitarian gesture demonstrates China’s goodwill and the growing cooperation between the two nations in areas such as trade, infrastructure, technology, agriculture, and now, disaster relief.
He said; “It is our firm belief that today’s signing ceremony will open new windows of collaboration that will deepen our strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of our people.”
Senator Bagudu said; “the Nigerian Government remains committed to working closely with the Chinese Embassy to ensure the successful implementation of the project.”
He added that Nigeria looks forward to strengthening its friendship with China through initiatives that promote prosperity, resilience, and sustainable development.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai said there has been a lot of progress in bilateral relations, especially in the area of trade, investment and people exchange.
Dunhai extended condolences to those affected by the flood assuring the Nigerian government of China’s support.
The Ambassador was in company of the Director of Political Section, Mr Zhu Songbook, Deputy director of Economic and Commercial Section, Mr Cai Xinfa, Mr Sun Luji, Mr Zhang Yifan and Mrs Chen Yao.
Hauwa Abu