Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran has confirmed that he is expected to visit Nigeria soon in search of business opportunities for T&T. However, Dookeran indicated he could not say if Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar or a contingent of government ministers will accompany him on the trip. This is yet to be finalised by Cabinet, he insisted.
Dookeran said the five-day trip forms part of a joint commission, following the August 1 visit of President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Dame Patience Faka Jonathan who participated in several Emancipation activities in T&T. He said a commission that was set up between the two countries have identified a number of issues in which they want to collaborate. Those issues will be finalised in the discussions, he said.
Dookeran said hopefully the private sector will accept an invitation so they can look for business opportunities as well. Among the benefits to be derived from the visit, Dookeran said, is building a strong relationship with Nigeria. "Today Africa is turning the corner and there are many economic opportunities that are emerging in Africa.
"The recent meeting of the IMF World Bank that I attended there was a strong feeling that Africa is no longer a place that you believe will not reach a level of development." Saying Africa still has a long way to go, Dookeran pointed out that Ghana had made tremendous strides within the last five years.
"The reason for this is that most African countries today have adopted very solid macro economic management which had not existed in the past. Africa is a continent that will provide opportunities on a commercial basis."