...As annual trade volume hits $500m
The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Petter
Kjemprud, has said his country is ready to partner Nigeria for the development
of its film industry.
Kjemprud, who made the disclosure at the screening
of the film ‘The Lost Café’, at the Norwegian Embassy in Abuja on Wednesday said the move
is part of efforts at deepening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Norway.
He commended the producer for playing the linkage
between the Nigerian film industry and its counterpart in Norway, describing it
as a good example of collaboration between the two countries.
"The film is a very good example of
cooperation between two countries on cultural issues. For me, it’s a good
opportunity to show the close relations between the two countries and
opportunity to build that cooperation into a more organisational cooperation
between our two countries.
"This had led me to visit the film industry in
Jos, to investigate whether there is a possibility to have organisational
cooperation between the film institutes from the two countries,” he said.
The ambassador further described relations with
Nigeria as excellent, adding that trade volume between his country and Nigeria
now revolves around $500 million annually.
He said Norway-Nigeria relationship which dated back
as 1890 with the importation of fish particularly, stork fish, from Norway have
extended to other areas.
"Today, more than 50 Norwegian companies are
operating in the offshore oil industry. We are also moving to renewable energy
such as solar power.
"We have a very active Nigerian-Norwegian
chamber of commerce which is going on a road show in Norway in October. I just
discuss with the minister of trade and investment on how we can enhance
cooperation in trade and investment.
"Nigeria produces between 2,500 and 7,500
megawatts of electricity for its almost 200 million population while Norway
produces 46 thousand megawatts for 5million people. Norway has a comparative
advantage in this area and its companies would want to assist in this area
also,” he said.
Also speaking, Special Adviser to the President on
Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the
producer for initiating what she described as the first Norwegian-Nigerian
collaboration, noting that it would lead to further collaboration in other
areas between the two countries.
"The story is about a woman who went to Norway
and despite the cultural differences, she succeeded. It’s a good story about
Nigeria and Nigerians in Diaspora. You don’t hear too many good stories coming
out about Nigeria but this is a positive one.
"And I hope that it’s going to be the
beginning of good cooperation and being a Norwegian-Nigerian collaboration, it’s
going to be a different kind of film which everybody should look forward to and
encourage," she said.
Dabiri urged other Nigerians to come up with more
positive stories as nobody, according to her, said will tell our story but
ourselves. "Let’s show the world who we are by telling our own story.
"It is important to partner a group like this,
now we have Nigerian Norwegian collaboration; we can have Nigeria with other
countries telling the good stories and the good stories outweigh the bad
stories."
Producer of
the film, Norway-based Nigerian, Regina Udalor, said she was inspired to do the
movie following her experience as a young Nigerian girl in Europe.
She noted that a lot of Nigerians abroad are leading
a good life and contributing positively to the development of their host
countries, but lamented that little or nothing is reported of their successes.
"One of the reasons why I felt we should do the film
was to change the impression a lot of westerners have about Nigerian girls,
especially when you are very young. They think that you want to travel for
prostitution, but a lot of us travel for other positive purpose, including
education,” she said.
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