Mr Bobby Moroe, Acting South African High Commissioner to Nigeria has tasked South Africa and Nigeria to pioneer the processes of industrialisation, trade and investment on the African continent.

Moroe gave the charge while addressing newsmen on the occasion of the country’s anniversary of the National Freedom Day in Abuja on Wednesday.

The envoy said that both countries were the biggest economies on the continent and could advance the interest of other countries in line with its agenda for 2063.

The Heads of State and Governments of the African Union (AU) adopted Agenda 2063 at their Ordinary Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2015.

The Agenda 2063 is a call for action to all segments of African society to work together to build a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny.

He said “These are the two countries that are poised firmly and strongly through their strong economies and international role that they play in global institutions of governance to make sure that they advance the interest of the continent.

“The two countries have a critical role to play but through our diplomatic relations with Nigeria we have done a lot to make sure that we position ourselves in a manner that the rest of the continent can benefit.”

He said the cooperation between both countries had been strengthened over the years with continuous people-to-people and high-level exchange of programmes.

He added that it was important for relations between the two countries to be strengthened and areas of cooperation consolidated.

“This is in order to create more space to make sure that the level field is played where all key players in the continent can be accommodated through the leadership of Nigeria and South Africa.”

Furthermore, the envoy expressed his government’s commitment to the African Agenda within the context of regional integration and international cooperation.

He said “Our promise is that we will never betray the support that we have received and the role that we have played in global governance in the past 25 years demonstrates South Africa’s commitment in ensuring that we consolidate the African agenda within the context of regional integration.”

He also added that South Africa’s membership of BRICS, an association of five major emerging national economies, was to the benefit of the entire continent.

BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“South Africa’s membership is to the benefit of the entire continent and we have made sure that we work and speak truth to power and represent the continent,” he added.

He said that his government was also committed to strengthening of the African Agenda as South Africa’s foremost foreign policy principle and “we are not about to stop”.

(NAN)