Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, on Wednesday met with the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fontaustier to cement discussions on bilateral partnership that would enhance the exchange of technical expertise in the areas of irrigation farming, manpower development, and other critical sectors.
Personal Assistant to the Minister on Media and Public Publicity, Terhemen Oraduen in a statement said was accompanied on the courtesy call to the Ambassador by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, and key Technical Directors.
Nigeria and France have a growing bilateral relationship focused on irrigation farming and agricultural development, marked by several cooperative initiatives and agreements such as, the “Women in Agricultural Technical Education and Apprenticeship in Nigeria,” (WATEA), in a project grant worth €600,000 coordinated with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), to support agricultural technical education and governance models in the country.
France since the mid-1990,, has been involved in irrigation projects in Nigeria, with projects such as the Hadejia Valley Project, focusing on irrigation scheme management, farmer training, and improving water resource governance.
According Oraduen, “The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, and key Technical Directors, paid a courtesy visit to the French Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Marc Fontaustier, today in Abuja.”
He said, during the meeting, Minister Utsev and the French Ambassador to Nigeria Fontaustier emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in the area of manpower training.
The statement said they also discussed expanding collaboration in other strategic sectors, including technology and knowledge sharing to enhance irrigation farming and effective dam management, among other mutually beneficial initiatives.
