The Federal Government and the Caribbean Island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis are ready to boost diplomatic relationship through the exchange of special envoys and new initiatives in sectors including education, agriculture and health.
Prime Minister Terence Drew announced during a visit to Abuja after a meetings with President Bola Tinubu.
Drew said the two countries had mapped out concrete steps to intensify collaboration between Nigeria, the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) and Africa at large.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga in statement said a centerpiece of the agreement is the mutual appointment of special envoys to oversee implementation and deliver results.
“We have agreed to take this relationship to the next level,” Drew said.
“There will be a special envoy to St. Kitts and Nevis, and we will also have one here in Nigeria to further the collaboration and ensure tangible benefits.”
Priority areas include cultural exchanges, agricultural development, food security and partnerships to tackle global challenges, Drew said. He highlighted early successes in health care, where Nigerian doctors trained in St. Kitts and Nevis now practice in Nigeria, and a contingent of Caribbean doctors has worked in his country.
“Lots of Nigerians have studied in my country and are now practicing as doctors here,” he said.
“We also had a contingent of doctors who went to St. Kitts and Nevis, and we are already seeing tangible benefits.”
Drew emphasized deep historical links, noting that many in St. Kitts and Nevis trace their roots to Calabar, in southern Nigeria.
“This is home for us,” he said. “Our people in St. Kitts and Nevis fundamentally came from Calabar, so returning here is always special.”
Praising Tinubu’s leadership, Drew described Nigeria as a key ally for Caribbean development and reaffirmed Caricom’s status as the “sixth region” of the African Union, calling for tighter Africa-Caribbean bonds to advance mutual goals.
