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Africa, Nigeria aim to build stronger naval relations

PLA Daily 2004-02-10

LAGOS, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The South African Navy is determined to build a stronger relationship with its Nigerian counterpart, visiting South Africa Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Johannes Mudimu said here Monday.

At the beginning of his two-day official visit to the Nigeria Naval Training Command, Lagos, the South African chief of naval staff said the development would further promote African unity and renaissance in line with the philosophy of President Thabo Mbeki.

He said that the bilateral relation between the two countries in the areas of training and sharing of facilities would improve operations of the two navies.

"As Africans, we have much to learn from one another. African Navies require skills for them to grow. We can only succeed if we co-operate," he said.

Mudimu harped on the need for African Navies to influence their respective governments to open doors for the development of the continent.

"Let us do something for our navies and countries. We owe it to make a difference to our people and mankind," he added.

He said that the South African Navy had facilities and resources that could be beneficial to the Nigerian Navy and other African navies.

The South African naval chief said that as part of efforts to reposition for a more effective territorial defense, the South African Navy was set to procure its first set of three sub-marines between 2005 and 2007.

He also said that the South African Navy had acquired four corvettes also in a bid to remain the best in the continent. In his remarks, Rear Admiral S.B. Kolawole, flag officer of the Nigeria Naval Training Command, expressed optimism that the friendship currently existing between Nigerian and South African Navies would yield the desired results.

During his two-day visit to Nigeria, Mudimu will also visit the Nigeria Naval School, the Underwater Warfare School and the School of Direction and Communications.