Nigeria, France sign pact on military equipment, training

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The French and Nigerian governments on Thursday signed a ‘letter of Intent’ on defence cooperation to include acquisition of military equipment and training for members of Nigeria’s Armed Forces (NAF).

This was made known in a communiqué on strengthening cordial bilateral relations on Security and Defence after the maiden meeting of the High Defence Committee made up of Nigerian and French officials on Thursday at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

The Communiqué was read by the permanent secretary of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence Ambassador Danjuma Sheni in the presence of the Nigerian Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali and the Minister of Defence of France Jean Le-Drian.

The High Defence Committee was set up as part of agreements reached during the last visit of President Mohammadu Buhari to France.

Sheni explained that the two days deliberations focused on four areas of strategic dialogue, military technical cooperation, intelligence sharing, and equipment procurement.

He said the committee agreed that identifying credible manufactures, capacity building and negotiations with French equipment manufacturers would be offered to the armed forces of Nigeria.

They also agreed that France would provide technical advice on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), to the Nigerian military while promoting multi-lateral intelligence sharing in support of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

They also agreed that France would explore the possibility of providing the armed forces in liaison with French Forces in Senegal with operational updated maps under the premises of Document for Operational Cooperation.

They also agreed that France would share experience with Nigeria in the organization and processes of establishing an Imagery Centre, and deliberated on how the list of defence equipment presented could be procured at good value for money.

In their remarks, both Defence ministers agreed that the defence cooperation demonstrates both countries determination to check the menace of terrorism in the West African region and global terrorism.