By Saminu Ibrahim
The Federal Government has called for stronger cooperation with the European Union (EU) to address the root causes of irregular migration, including poverty, unemployment, insecurity and humanitarian challenges.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, made the call on Tuesday when he received a delegation of the European Union, led by its Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
Doro said Nigeria’s partnership with the EU should go beyond migration management to address the economic and social challenges forcing people to leave their communities in search of better opportunities.
He stressed that migration should be a matter of choice, backed by access to legitimate opportunities, rather than a desperate response to poverty, insecurity and lack of economic prospects.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to poverty reduction, youth empowerment and human capital development, emphasising the need to equip Nigerians with relevant digital, technical and vocational skills to improve their access to employment opportunities locally and internationally.
He also called for increased investment in skills development and structured labour mobility programmes that would create legal employment pathways for Nigerians abroad while addressing labour shortages in destination countries.
On humanitarian assistance, Doro acknowledged the EU’s support for internally displaced persons, particularly in the North-West, but urged the commission to extend greater attention to emerging humanitarian challenges in the North-Central region, especially Benue State.
He noted that stronger institutional cooperation, targeted interventions and sustained support were critical to addressing Nigeria’s humanitarian challenges, reducing poverty and creating conditions for safe and orderly migration.
In his remarks, Brunner reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to a comprehensive and balanced partnership with Nigeria, identifying migration management, security, trade and the reintegration of returning migrants as key areas of cooperation.
He described the planned signing of a readmission agreement between the EU and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an important step towards strengthening bilateral relations.
The European commissioner also highlighted ongoing cooperation to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, improve the reintegration of returning migrants and explore additional areas of mutual interest.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubumi Olusanya, welcomed the delegation on behalf of the minister and the ministry’s staff.
He expressed confidence that the engagement would provide an opportunity for constructive discussions and strengthen existing relations between Nigeria and the EU, particularly in addressing migration-related challenges.
SINL Nigeria Online reports that the meeting was attended by directors of the ministry, EU officials and the EU Ambassador, Gauntier Mignot.
