On Thursday, 30 trade and cooperation agreements had been signed between Nigeria and South Africa after the relationship between the two countries had been disturbed due to the violence that happened toward Nigerian nationals in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
Last month, foreign businesses and homes in South Africa were attacked by mobs armed with makeshift weapons as 10 people died and a lot injured. 400 people were arrested in the incidents. Immediately after that, Nigeria repatriated around 600 of its citizens that lived in South Africa.
According to Reuters, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Muhammadu Buhari, at the conclusion of a two-day visit by the Nigerian leader, said they regretted the violence and subsequent retaliation in Nigeria against South African businesses, pledging instead to deepen trade ties.
Several local units of MTN (the South African telecoms company) and Shoprite the supermarket chain closed the stores in Nigeria after they were attacked as a response to the attack of Nigerians in South Afrika.
Nigeria and South Africa are two of the richest African countries.
The President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa told the journalists:
‘’As the government of South Africa, we have expressed our deep regret at the attacks directed at foreign nationals and our condemnation of all forms of intolerance and acts of violence.’’
He also said that South Africa and Nigeria had sealed 32 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding covering trade and industry, science and technology, defense, agriculture, and energy.
Nigeria and South Africa trade a lot as they are one of the biggest trading partners in Africa.
Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria said that beyond the economic partnership the anti-foreigner violence had to be addressed quickly.
‘’We decided to take concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of such unacceptable incidents in the future,’’ Buhari told the journalists.
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