General News
Rwandan Foreign Ministry Commends Nigerian Technical Aid Corps Scheme as Vanguard of Pan-Africanism
By Iyojo Ameh
The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation has heaped praise on Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme, hailing its activities as a beacon of nobility and a staunch advocate of Pan-Africanism.
Minister of State in the Ministry, James Kabarebe, expressed this sentiment during a gathering in Kigali over the weekend, as the Ministry welcomed a delegation from the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC) led by its Director-General, Rt.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s domestic challenges, Kabarebe highlighted the country’s unwavering dedication to leadership and development on the African continent and in the global South through the prism of soft-power diplomacy.
He underscored Nigeria’s utilization of its significant population, size, and early strides in education to benefit Africa. Furthermore, he emphasized the role of Nigerian literary icons such as Chinua Achebe, Soyinka, and Ekwensi in projecting a positive image globally, serving as instruments of soft power that elevate Nigeria’s standing in world affairs.
Kabarebe stressed the substantial disparity between African nations and their developmental aspirations, lending his support to the TAC Scheme. He pledged the Ministry’s commitment to leveraging the robust relations between Rwanda and Nigeria to fortify cooperation through this Scheme.
Rt. Hon. Buba Yakub, while briefing the Minister, highlighted the DTAC delegation’s mission in Rwanda—to monitor, evaluate, and review the activities of the TAC Volunteer Scheme across recipient countries and among the volunteers. Additionally, the visit aimed to acquaint him with state officials and stakeholders involved in the TAC Scheme across Africa, following his recent appointment by Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The DTAC delegation utilized the Rwanda visit to engage with various stakeholders, including the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Claudette Irere; Nigerian High Commissioner in Kigali, Amb. Suleiman Sani; Ms. Francoise Kayitore, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance) at the University of Rwanda; and Dr. Nasiru Sani, a TAC Scheme volunteer at the University of Rwanda specializing in Health Information and Community Medicine. These discussions centered on the progress of the TAC Scheme and elicited commitments from stakeholders.
Accompanying the DTAC boss on the visit were Amb. Mohammed Mohammed, the Agency’s Director of Programmes; Mr. Idris Saidu, Acting Director of Finance and Accounts; and Mrs. Rahila Ayuba Kaura, Acting Director of Monitoring and Evaluation.
