Paris, February 9 {No. 2000-10} - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura yesterday signed an aide-memoire expressing their commitment to the reinvigoration of cooperation between Nigeria and the organization. President Obasanjo was on a state visit to France.

Education is one of the key areas of cooperation between the organization and Nigeria. To this end, President Obasanjo has been invited to attend the World Education Forum - organised by the International Consultative Forum on Education for All in which UNESCO is a leading partner - which will take place from 26 to 28 April in Dakar, Senegal. In turn, the President has invited the Director-General to visit Abuja prior to the education conference, for a Summit of African Heads of State on Malaria from 24 to 25 April.

During their discussions, President Obasanjo told the Director-General of Nigeria's commitment to education as a key national priority and spoke of the importance of the ongoing reform of education in Nigeria. Mr Matsuura assured him of UNESCO's full support in this crucial endeavour. President Obasanjo drew particular attention to UNESCO's contribution to education policy analysis and advice.

Nigeria is a member of the E-9 group of nine high-population countries, which account for half the world's population and 70% of global illiteracy. Nigeria took part in the recent meeting in Recife, Brazil, of E-9 education ministers and officials at which the progress and shortfalls in the ten-year-old initiative to provide education for all were assessed. The conclusions of the Recife meeting will be presented to the Dakar Forum.

A Special Plan for Cooperation between Nigeria and UNESCO was established following President Obasanjo's election in February 1999. In the aide-memoire signed yesterday, President Obasanjo and the Director-General reiterated the commitments and placed special emphasis, alongside education, on basic science and research, solar energy development, cultural heritage, intercultural activities and media development.