[ez-toc]The United States and Nigeria have intensified their cooperation in the battle against terrorism in Nigeria and other neighboring nations that are affected by the threat.

This was the main topic of conversation during the two days of the 6th US-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) that ended on Tuesday in Abuja. Both nations also pledged to boost bilateral trade and make investments in energy, agriculture, and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI).

During the closing ceremony, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, stated during a press conference that the nation has made great strides toward weakening the terrorists from Boko Haram in the country’s north.

He said, “You are all aware of the progress that we have made in north eastern Nigeria in degrading Boko Haram to the point that now, one of our major challenges is sorting out who is a combatant and who is not.”

Even if banditry is a problem as a result of the terrorists’ actions in Boko Haram, Tuggar stated that the Nigerian government is controlling the threat and that the situation will be resolved with US assistance.

Along with highlighting the importance of economic development, the minister emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to providing jobs for Nigerians.

He said, “We are focusing on the use of technology to create jobs and to educate the youth”.

Kurt Campbell, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, informed the gathering that the BNC was successful.

He said, “Energy is a huge part of our relationship, agriculture has enormous potential. We will work much more closely on technology and expand the volume of trade and build people – to-people commercial and technological links between our two countries.

“We will step up our efforts in security because the security challenges do not reside in Nigeria, they are regional and global and we are containing them as well.

“Nigeria is a natural partner and indeed, we have ambition to step up our engagement in this arena not just with respect to local areas but the regional ones as well.”

He continued by saying that the US has collaborated with Nigeria and other nations on the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, which serves as an example of how the US can work with important nations not just in Africa but all around the world to address important health-related concerns.