By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA—As South African President, Mr. Jacob Zuma, visits Nigeria today, Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyema, has said the visit was not meant to resolve any outstanding diplomatic row between the two countries.

Instead, the minister stated that it was meant to boost the economic ties between both countries.

He stated that there had been a long standing relationship between South Africa and Nigeria, stressing that the meeting of  President Muhammadu Buhari and Zuma was expected to give birth to deliberate continental policies that would move Africa forward.

Onyema spoke with State House Correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said:  “There is really no fence to be mended. The relationship with South Africa is very good one. Nigeria was considered one of the front line states in the the battle against apartheid, though we were not geographically located in that part of Africa, but just to show our commitment. So many South Africans were educated in Nigeria.

“Our past Presidents have been at the forefronts for the liberation of South Africa and this has continued. Now as we all know, even from our own history, here in Nigeria, when a country is doing well economically, what tends to happen is that people from other countries which is not doing as well economically would gravitate to them. We see that happening all over the world. People go to where they see the best economic well being.

“The meeting between the two Presidents is very timely. Nigeria and South Africa are the pillars of this continent and moving forward, the two countries have to work together. The two Presidents have to be close, and so this meeting is going to help to increase the trade between the two countries and they are both facing challenges and so it is absolutely important that President Zuma is coming with a large entourage of business people and so we are going to be looking at areas of cooperation in the trade sector.”