By Lizzy Okoji
Abuja – The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) on Friday in Abuja entered into partnership with the People’s Republic of Korea to enhance Nigeria’s economy by improving trade, job creation amongst others.
Both countries entered into the partnership during the visit of Maj.-Gen. Lee In Tae, Ambassador, People’s Republic of Korea to Nigeria to the NEPAD National Coordinator, Mrs Gloria Akobundu.
Akobundu said that NEPAD Nigeria was seeking the partnership of the People’s Republic of Korea to improve the life of Nigerians through transfer of technology and capacity building.
She said that this was crucial as Nigerians needed to continually develop skills of the youths for economic development.
She said that NEPAD was building on the existing relationship between both countries to establish a collaborative partnership in promoting indigenous products of local manufacturers and factories to create employment and wealth.
Akobundu explained that this was in line with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption through job creation.
“All we discussed today is about trade and indigenous product development.
“NEPAD has many mandates which are economic development, job creation and to partner with the private and public sector including the international organisations operating in our country to foster these developments and economic growth.
“That gives birth to what happened today because we have to work with people, interested countries and organisations.
“Today, we have agreed to work together in the areas of health, ICT Development centers, capacity building, agro- allied industries, processing, packaging and export.
“The Republic of Korea’s development is a model which Nigeria would like to copy because of its rapid growth within a short time.
“We all know that skills acquisition brings about empowerment and wealth creation through production and wealth can only be created if there are market place for the products,’’ Akobundu said.
Akobundu, who immediately set up a four-man committee tasked them to design the framework, timeframe and mode of implementation for the collaboration.
She said that the document would be the master plan and roadmap for a fruitful collaboration between both countries.
The National Coordinator added that she was optimistic that the collaboration would lead to the success of the forthcoming NEPAD Africa Trade fair of indigenous goods and services which would hold in 2019.
In his response, Tae said that the People’s Republic of Korea was happy to enter into the partnership with Nigeria through NEPAD.
He said that the People’s Republic of Korea would be executing its interventions in the country through NEPAD Nigeria.
“We are ready to collaborate in many areas with NEPAD, especially the economic, health care and vocational schools and capacity building.
“There are so many ways to collaborate with NEPAD and my embassy.
“There are so many things to collaborate in and so, expect many things,’’ Tae said.
Mrs Stella Iwuagwu, the Executive Director, Centre for the Right to Health (CRH) called for the support of the government of the People’s Republic of Korea in developing indigenous Africa medicine.
She said that Africa was blessed with a lot of herbs which when developed would produce good medicines and cure to several ailments.