Nigeria and South Africa Set March 2025 Deadline for Violence Prevention Pact

Nigeria and South Africa have agreed to finalize a long-delayed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on an Early Warning Mechanism designed to monitor and address threats of violence, criminal acts, and reprisals involving nationals from both countries.

This agreement was announced on Tuesday in a joint communiqué following the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) held in Cape Town, South Africa.

The meeting, co-chaired by Presidents Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, focused on finalizing the MoU, which has been under negotiation for five years. The initiative was driven by a need to prevent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, which have occurred in recent years.

According to Nigerian presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the two countries had previously agreed to harmonize all outstanding issues in order to finalize the MoU during the 11th BNC meeting. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, read the joint statement, which highlighted the urgency of concluding the MoU. The two leaders confirmed that the MoU would be signed no later than March 2025, during a planned visit by the South African Minister to Nigeria for political consultations.

Both Presidents Tinubu and Ramaphosa also welcomed the progress on other ongoing negotiations to conclude new agreements. The communiqué emphasized their commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, focusing on enhancing cooperation for mutual benefit.

The two leaders discussed the importance of creating an enabling environment for business, recognizing the substantial investments by South African companies in Nigeria and encouraging similar Nigerian investments in South Africa. The leaders also highlighted the need to expand trade between the two nations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which both countries have ratified.

In addition, Nigeria and South Africa committed to collaborating on initiatives related to food and nutrition security, digital connectivity, and leadership in artificial intelligence development. They also agreed to expand digital literacy programs and prioritize data protection and online safety for citizens.

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to coordinating positions on key issues within the African Union, including supporting candidates for various AU leadership positions who are dedicated to advancing the continent’s development agenda. South Africa congratulated Nigeria on the reappointment of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and both countries agreed to work together more closely within international organizations.

South Africa sought Nigeria’s support for its candidate, Ms. Swazi Tshabalala, for the presidency of the African Development Bank, while Nigeria requested South Africa’s backing for Ambassador Bankole Adeoye’s re-election as the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security.

The leaders also expressed their shared commitment to advancing the African Agenda, particularly the implementation of Agenda 2063. Nigeria highlighted its efforts, along with those of other ECOWAS members, to promote peace and security in the region. South Africa outlined its contributions to peace initiatives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique.

The communiqué underscored the need for renewed efforts to achieve the African Union’s aspiration of “Silencing the Guns,” with the two leaders expressing deep concern over the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has caused significant loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, and a humanitarian crisis.

Furthermore, Nigeria and South Africa agreed to intensify their support for the self-determination, freedom, and justice of the Western Sahara people. Both countries also commended South Africa on its new role as the G20 Presidency, which began on December 1, 2024, and expressed support for South Africa’s focus on inclusive economic growth, industrialization, inequality reduction, food security, artificial intelligence, and data governance.

Finally, on the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the two nations called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of diplomatic efforts, emphasizing the importance of upholding international humanitarian law and ensuring the protection of civilians in the region.