The Ambassador of EU Delegation to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, made this known to newsmen at the EU Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.
She said that the 2022 EU day was marked every year on May 9 since the Robert Schuman Declaration.
On this day in 1950, Schuman the then French foreign minister, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, and this is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 72nd celebration is themed: Peace, Cooperation and Unity.
The media briefing is to provide information on several issues, including the EU’s engagements with Nigeria and ECOWAS.
Isopi, said that EU is an economic community which, first of all, it’s a community with value, and the celebration cannot be achieved without its partners like Nigeria.
“We celebrate with our partner countries like Nigeria to emphasise the solidarity, friendship, unity and cooperation.”
“This is also an opportunity to take stock and Nigeria is a very important and a large country in youth population which has a lot of untapped opportunities in its youth capital.”
“Our two major steps were to re-launch strategy with our ministers and the launch of the new cooperation framework. Recently, we received our second in command, Ms Margrethe Vestager, the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital.”
“Her visit was to develop and strengthen already existing partnerships on digital innovation. And in February’s summit, which the focus was on peace, security and health,’’ she said.
Isopi added that the EU delegation had been supporting Nigeria’s democracy since its inception, saying that EU is not scrutinising but advising, monitoring and giving recommendations.
“We are the largest trading partners with Nigeria and we are active in the peace unity in the north-east.”
Speaking also, the Head of Cooperation, Ms Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, said that this year the bloc had launched a new cooperation framework from 2021 to 2027.
The framework looks at Green and Digital Economy, Governance, Peace and Migration, and lastly, Human Development.
“Also this year is EU Youth Year which we have approved as part of the youth programmes.”
The bloc would provide 20,000 internships, starting from ERAMUS, Youths Sounding Board that has 25 Nigerian youths on Decision-Making Board.
NAN recalls that in September 2021, EU bloc Inaugurated 25 Nigerian youths into the decision-making board, a body of young Nigerians, who will help in shaping and implementing EU programmes and strategies in the country for more inclusiveness.
Erasmus+ is the European Commission’s Programme for education, training, youth and sport for the period of 2021-2027, succeeding the previous programme (2007-2014) as an integrated programme,
Erasmus+ offers more opportunities for the mobility of learners, staff and cooperation across the education, training and youth sectors, and is easier to access than its predecessors.
It has simplified funding rules and a structure that aims to streamline the administration of the programme.
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