Australia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Leilani Bin-Juda, has stated that her nation is eager to strengthen bilateral ties with Nigeria in a way that will benefit the peoples of both nations.
She stated that her nation is especially keen to see the two nations’ economic cooperation increase and to make sure that more potential Nigerian students take use of Australia’s first-rate educational infrastructure.
Leilani made this statement last week during a “Study Australia Networking” dinner hosted by the High Commission in Abuja. She said that her nation is the greatest place in the world for Nigerians to pursue higher education.
The High Commissioner pledged to work to ensure that a fresh window of collaboration is open between the two nations, expressing her joy that her country has maintained to maintain excellent relations with the Government and people of Nigeria.
She said, “Australia delivers a well-targeted development programme in Africa to help build food security and resilience, strengthen government capacity in key sectors, empower vulnerable communities, and share knowledge on climate adaptation and renewable energy.
“Our development cooperation programmes utilise Australian skills and technical expertise in education, agriculture, health, mining, and science and technology wherever possible. We ensure a strong focus on gender equality and disability inclusion across all of our activities and partnerships.
“Australia Awards Masters Scholarships and courses on climate adaptation and mitigation, and renewable energy, and Humanitarian funding to address food security, including in the Horn of Africa.
“Deployments of Australian expertise through Australia Assists and the United Nations Junior Professional Officer Program, and Funding to ACIAR to expand agricultural and climate change related projects in Africa, and Digital Earth Africa, a tool mapping impacts of climate change across the continent.
“Australia’s engagement with Africa, particularly with Nigeria, reflects the diverse challenges and opportunities across the African continent. We are providing immediate, lifesaving humanitarian support for those impacted by devastating drought and conflict in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere, through our UN and Australian NGO partnerships.
“Through high quality education and training programs, and deployments of technical experts, we are helping African nations to build capabilities, including in climate change adaptation, climate-resilient agriculture and water security.
“We are also reaching communities in Africa, Nigeria, in particular, with assistance that helps them recover from the social and economic impacts of COVID-19, and creates safe and supportive environments for women and youth”.