Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Following the momentous signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN made a strategic stopover in Barbados as part of his continued diplomatic mission to deepen air connectivity between Nigeria, South American and Caribbean regions.
In a display of warm Caribbean hospitality and high-level diplomacy, the Minister was personally received by the charismatic and globally celebrated Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP.
The meeting between the two distinguished leaders underscored a shared commitment to building stronger bridges of cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean through enhanced aviation links.
Special Assistant on Media & Communications to the Minister, Tunde Moshood in a statement on Tuesday said during his visit, the Minister held a series of productive bilateral meetings with key Cabinet Ministers of the Government of Barbados.
Discussions focused on the urgent need to expand direct air connectivity between the two regions, as well as Nigeria’s proposal to update and revitalise the existing BASA between Nigeria and Barbados.
The Minister emphasized that such partnerships are essential to actualising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes positioning Nigeria as the leading aviation gateway to Africa from South America and the Caribbean.
Both parties expressed their commitment to deepening discussions and translating these strategic aspirations into concrete outcomes.
To that effect, the Honourable Minister extended a formal invitation to the Government of Barbados for a follow-up meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, in the coming weeks—a gesture warmly accepted by Prime Minister Mottley.
The Minister’s visit to Barbados marks another milestone in Nigeria’s proactive aviation diplomacy and reaffirms the nation’s growing influence as a strategic air transport hub for intercontinental travel.
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