Nigeria yesterday signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Group of Eight Developing countries (D8). At the end of the two-day 29th session of the D8 commission in Abuja yesterday, the D8 secretariat also disclosed that it was eager to raise the subsisting trade volume between member states from the current 6.5 percent.
The D8 is a group of developing countries with close to one billion population that have formed an economic alliance. The combined population of the countries is about 60 percent of the Moslem world or close to 13 percent of global population. Its members include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Nigeria. They also belong to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
At a joint media briefing yesterday in Abuja on the outcome of their deliberations, the D8 Commissioner for Nigeria and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhoimobhi said the MOU on aviation entails technical cooperation drawing from a term of reference on the joint investment fund of the cooperating countries.
Fielding reporters' questions, Uhoimobhi said: "It is all about the D8 pooling resources to make a difference in the lives of the almost one billion citizens within its fold. In signing this MOU, Nigeria joins other members of the D8 countries in affirming the willingness to comply all international standards within the aviation industry regulatory framework to guarantee safety."
He disclosed further yesterday that apart from "guaranteeing safety and securing more routes and to see that we meet more global international standard, Turkey (a member of D8) is a co-chair on the board of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority). We will leverage on this and Turkey's place will enhance Nigeria's benefits in the scheme of things.
Acknowledging that funding was one of the challenges of the secretariat, Uhomoibhi said further: "But this is not due to a lack of political will. It has to do with procedure... we want to partner with those who are not in our bracket but want to join us, especially more advanced countries that want to bring something to bear..."
The D8 Secretary-General, Dr. Widi Pratikto (Indonesia) said yesterday that part of the deliberations centered on inter-trade between members. "We want to move
beyond that 6.5 percent. Not too long, all citizens should start feeling the impact of our trade liberalisation and trade schemes while the investment fund is shored up."
When the 13th ministerial council of the D8 held in Abuja in July last year, Nigeria stressed the need for the group to pay special attention to the challenge of poverty alleviation as a sure way of expanding the frontiers of economic growth in member states.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Odein Ajumogobia had said then that as nations approach the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there are growing concerns that "many developing countries will not achieve these basic targets.
This is why in addition to fast tracking co-operation in the priority sectors of our D8 roadmap, we would do well to pay special attention to the challenge of poverty alleviation, without which our efforts to boost trade and expand economic growth in our various countries is likely to falter."
Source: Nigeria, Others Sign Aviation Pact (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41336:nigeria-others-sign-aviation-pact-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)