Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is set to leave Abuja on Sunday for Paris, France, on a four-day official visit to attend the African Finance Summit.
Spokesman Garba Shehu disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. The Summit is to be hosted by French President, Emmanuel Macron.
The Summit “will be focused on reviewing African economies, following shocks from Coronavirus pandemic, and getting relief, especially from increased debt burden on countries.”
It will also attract “major stakeholders in the global finance institutions and some Heads of Government, who will, collectively, discuss external funding and debt treatment for Africa, and private sector reforms.”
During the visit, President Buhari is expected to meet with Macron “to discuss growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, political relations, economic ties, climate change and partnership in buoying the health sector, particularly in checking spread of Covid-19, with more research and vaccines.”
Shehu added that “… before returning to Nigeria, President Buhari will receive some key players in the oil and gas sector, engineering and telecommunications, European Council and European Union Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and Commission, and members of the Nigerian community.”
The President will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, and Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire.
Also joining him on the trip are National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Mohammed Monguno (rtd) and Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.