France to cooperate with Kwara in areas of agriculture and culture
France and Kwara state have agreed to cooperate in the areas of agriculture and culture.
To this end, the French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, Mrs Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, was in Ilorin on May 30, to mark the growing cooperation.
She was accompanied by Samuela Isopi, Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria.
This French official visit is the first one by a foreign Minister to Kwara State.
Together, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State witnessed the signing of two agreements: a MoU between Kwara State and the French company BRLI tasked with conducting a EUR 500,000 feasibility study granted by the French authorities on the modernization of the livestock value chain in the Lata grazing reserve.
The second is the Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the relocation of the Alliance Française Ilorin within the Innovation Hub.
A statement from the French Embassy in Abuja said “the generous offer of the Governor of Kwara of a space of 120 m² will enable the cultural and linguistic center to attract its public in modern classrooms and facilities.
The French Embassy and the French Ministry of Foreign affairs will contribute to the relocation of the Alliance through an exceptional grant of €10,000, which complements the annual operating grant.
“This partnership demonstrates the shared vision of giving younger generations’ access to quality education and skills that will enable them to thrive” the Embassy said.
The Chrysoula Zacharopoulou visited the Ilorin Innovation Hub and the Ilorin Visual Arts Centre, with the aim of transforming Kwara state “into an economically viable and self-sustainable state via digital literacy, technology and culture.
Discussions with young entrepreneurs and artists the Embassy said “have reaffirmed the need to foster partnership between our two countries”.
Later, the French Minister of State visited the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), chosen by the French authorities as a pilot training center to implement a EUR 600,000 grant programme dedicated to the development of technical education of women in agriculture.
The Minister of State toured an exhibition of local agricultural products presented by women entrepreneurs.
In her address, Mrs Chrysoula Zacharopoulou declared that “these projects illustrate the potential of the cooperation of France in Nigeria in the agriculture and agribusiness sector”
She was “articularly delighted that it will also contribute to women’s continuous capacity development, to serve their needs, expectations and dreams”.
Chrysoula Zacharopoulou congratulated Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his re-election and for his nomination as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
