The visiting South African President, Jacob Zuma has said that his government will ensure that the monies confiscated by South African government during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan are returned to Nigeria.
Zuma who spoke while addressing journalists after the bilateral talks with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that Nigeria and South Africa are currently working the issue of confiscated funds.
“Relevant structures are working on it and there are some that have been discovered and recovered, but there are some that the necessary departments are doing investigation. We would certainly appreciate if we succeed in recovering all other issues so that they would be returned back,” he said.
On Xenophobia, Zuma said it was an unfortunate experience because, according to him, “all Africans are the same. It is the colonialists through borders that make us to think we are different from one another”.
He said as far as the South Africa government is concerned, all Africans are the same and that view is what is being used to address the unfortunate incidence of xenophobia.
“We believe we have dealt with these issues and we need this kind of inter action among countries. We like our people in both countries and other countries to realize that we are the same. We have the same objectives and the same interest and we have the same kind of destination as Africans,” he said.
President Zuma had said that the discussion he held with President Buhari centred on reviewing various bilateral and multilateral issues, adding that the two leaders have noted with satisfaction the ever growing cooperation in many sectors including trade and investment; defence and security; immigration matters; energy; mineral resources, and others.
He also said they have recognised the important role played by the South Africa-Nigeria Binational Commission since its inception in 1999, stressing that “As we forge a strategic partnership between the two sister nations, we have decided to elevate the Bi-National Commission to the level of Heads of State.
“In this way my Brother and I will be able to lead as well as monitor progress in various areas of cooperation,” he said.
Zuma said Nigeria and South Africa have signed over 30 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.
These agreements, he said, cover a wide range of cooperation areas including trade and industry, transport, energy, defence and security and immigration among others.
“We have directed the relevant Ministers to move with speed in implementing all signed agreements.
“We have also directed our Ministers to identify joint projects in the key high impact strategic development areas, which will have socio-economic benefits such as employment creation to our peoples,” he said.
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