President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Saint Lucia for Brazil to participate in the 17th BRICS Summit, following a successful four-day state visit to the Caribbean Island nation that marked the historic establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.
President Tinubu is attending the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro as the leader of Nigeria, which now holds the status of a “partner country” in the influential bloc. Nigeria was formally granted this designation in January 2025, an upgrade from its previous guest observer status.
The new role enables Africa’s largest economy to participate more substantively in BRICS activities, including summits, thematic meetings, and policy discussions.
The President’s attendance at the summit comes as Nigeria begins to engage more strategically with global power blocs under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
At the summit, he is expected to advocate for deeper South-South economic cooperation, enhanced trade flows, and reforms to global financial institutions to reflect the aspirations of the Global South.
President Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia yielded several landmark achievements that strengthened bilateral ties across diplomatic, economic, educational, and cultural fronts.
A major highlight of the visit was the formalisation of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Saint Lucia—a historic milestone that paves the way for increased trade, investment, tourism, and academic collaboration.
During his engagements in Castries, President Tinubu held high-level meetings with Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Governor-General Cyril Charles. Discussions centered on mutual cooperation in areas such as climate change, disaster preparedness, sustainable development financing, and intra-Commonwealth engagement.
In a symbolic and highly celebrated moment, President Tinubu addressed a special joint session of Saint Lucia’s Parliament. In the presence of Caribbean leaders and diplomatic envoys from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to South-South cooperation and emphasized shared ancestry and values binding Africa and the Caribbean.
The President also visited the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, where he advocated for stronger educational exchange programmes and youth empowerment initiatives.
A significant outcome of this engagement was the signing of a technical manpower agreement. Under this pact, Nigeria will deploy professionals—teachers, doctors, and technical experts—to Saint Lucia and other Caribbean nations, bolstering human resource development across the region.
In recognition of his role in advancing Africa-Caribbean relations, President Tinubu was conferred with Saint Lucia’s highest national honour—the Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (KCOSL).
The award underscores his efforts in rekindling historical ties and promoting cultural and economic diplomacy.
President Tinubu’s Caribbean tour has been hailed as a major diplomatic success. His outreach aligns with the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, which recognizes the African diaspora as a crucial partner in the continent’s development strategy.
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