950806

Nigerian president

due next week

ISLAMABAD: Nigerian President Mahamane Ousmane is to pay a four-day state visit to Pakistan next week to attend Independence Day celebrations as a special guest.

The Nigerian President, to be accompanied by Mrs. Ousmane besides high ranking officials and dignitaries, will pay his maiden visit to Pakistan on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari.

It will be the second visit of a Nigerian head of state to Pakistan. Former Nigerian President Seyni Koucntche visited Pakistan in 1983.

Ousmane visit will provide opportunity to the two brotherly Muslim countries to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Nigeria is the member of OIC Contact Group on Kashmir and it has consistently supported Pakistan on Kashmir and Afghan issues at different international fora.

It has always backed Pakistan's candidature to various world bodies, especially at OIC and United Nations.

Pakistan and Nigeria, being the member of Organization of Islamic Conference, have always maintained close contacts.

For being the members of OIC, Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77, Pakistan and Nigeria shares many common bonds and have identity of views on many international issues.

Pakistan and Nigeria have traditionally maintained only modest trade and commercial relations. Nigeria has been importing rice and grey cloth from Pakistan through European intermediaries.

In view of our friendly ties, we have in the past provided food assistance to Nigeria. 5000 tons of rice each was gifted in 1975 and 1984 with an additional 500 tons of wheat as well in 1984. The same quantity of rice was also donated in 1991 and 1994.

Both the countries are at present making concerted efforts for cementing their bilateral trade and commercial relations despite the impediments of high freight cost due to the distance involved and Nigeria being a landlocked country. Pakistan registered exports worth $2.85 million between July 1994 to March 1995.

The appointment of an Honorary Consul of Nigeria in Karachi is in final stages. This office could also play an important role in promoting sale of Pakistani products to Nigeria and facilitating contacts between the business communities of the two countries.

Ever since the introduction of Africa Programme in 1987, Pakistan has been providing assistance to Nigeria in human resources development by offering training facilities in variety of fields. So far, 47 Nigerians including 5 students have received training in Pakistan in various fields including Public Administration, Science and Technology, Management, Banking, Diplomacy and Civil Aviation.

In the past Nigeria too has provided some valuable technical assistance to Pakistan by extending training facilities to Pakistani Engineers from Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in Uranium mining.-APP