FRANCE, CROSS RIVER EXPLORE AREAS OF COLLABORATION France and Cross River State have indicated interest in exploring areas that will be of mutual benefit to each other.Cross River believes the economic tie will be in line with its policy thrust of moving away from its civil service status to a private sector driven economy.Governor Liyel Imoke made the position of the state in the partnership known while receiving the France Consul General, Mr. Francois Sastourne. The Governor said the state has provided a conducive environment to attract foreign investments, adding that its policy is hinged on areas where it has comparative advantage compared to others with reference to secured environment.According to him, no investor will put his money in an area where he thinks he is not safe, so to create a conducive environment, it is the states policy that security is a matter of priority to create a safe haven to attract foreign investments and investors.To achieve this, Imoke explained that an Investment Promotion Department, which is a one-stop-shop that handles all in roads on behalf of the investors, stressing that it has strengthened conducive relations with investors and partners.He explained that the partnership has integrated communities into the program because it sees them as strong partners to grow investment, stressing that it is critical, as a matter of policy, to look into other sectors like security, infrastructure, education and health care.Imoke disclosed that the state’s policy is holistic to position itself as a service driven economy with enough diversification to gear the economy, saying that one key area is education which is aimed at producing the global child.The governor commended French donor agencies for contributing to the state’s development in the areas of health, water sanitation and assured that the state would actively participate in the partnership.Imoke who described the proposed Calabar international Convention Centre as a flagship of the state government, commended the French companies involved in the project for their quality of work and said their success story would attract other French investments to the state.Earlier, the French Consul General, Mr. Francois Sastourne, who was visiting the state for the second time, said his mission was to enable him understand what could be done to strengthen the already established bilateral economic agreement between France and Nigeria. Sastourne said although there are French companies doing business in the state, the visit would enable him explore more areas where more French would invest in the state.The French diplomat disclosed his country’s desire to partner with cross river develop its tourism program to attain greater recognition and world wide acceptance.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 11:10:18 +0000
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