By Sunday Iduh
Amb. Yonov Agah has been inaugurated as the Director-General, Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN).
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, while performing the inauguration, charged Agah to make a positive impact.
According to media sources, the minister told the appointee to work with critical stakeholders on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the second phase of negotiations.
Adebayo charges NOTN to monitor the developments regionally and globally to be abreast with current dynamics in trade negotiations.
“International trade is very important in the expansion of the economy of a country because it allows for the development of markets, creates employment, thereby reducing the rate of poverty,’’ he said.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), in May 2017, approved NOTN as the standing negotiating body for Nigeria.
Reports and recommendations from the agency on trade policy will be reviewed by the National Economic Management Team (NEMT).
Amb. Yonov Agah who hails from Benue State was appointed in March by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Director General and Chief Trade Negotiator.