The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima departed Abuja yesterday for Beijing, China, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum.
The 2023 forum edition scheduled to commence tomorrow, 16th to 18th October, 2023, would mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) championed by the President of China, Xi Jinping, as an initiative for global infrastructure development strategy and signed and approved by the then President, Muhammadu Buhari, on behalf of Nigeria, in 2018.
According to a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & CommunicationsStanley Nkwocha, the Vice President is expected to avail Nigeria of the platform provided by the Forum to woo investors for more developmental projects.
Part of the statement reads: “He will be joining world leaders from over 130 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America at the Forum to deliberate on the theme, “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.”
“He is also billed to hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to promote Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in line with the economic development agenda of the Tinubu administration. “
“The initiative seeks international action to enhance cooperation and promote infrastructure investment in nearly 70 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. “
“Nigeria and other partner-countries across the world are to benefit from the initiative in areas of infrastructure investments such as ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams and coal-fired power stations.”
The delegation of the Vice President to the Belt and Road Initiative Forum include; the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf M. Tuggar; the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Abubakar Bagudu; the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; the Honourable Minister Of Works, Sen. Engr. David Umahi; the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite; the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, and the Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.
Meanwhile, to participate in the African Development Bank(AfFB), World Food Prize-Facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue In Iowa, the Vice President will, from China, depart for the United States of America, USA.
As the special guest, he will be delivering the keynote address at the event, scheduled to commence on October 24th, 2023.
Also attending the summit are international leaders and heads of state/government including, the former United Nations Secretary – General and AGRA founder, Kofi Annan; World Food Prize Laureates; Ghana President, John Kufuor and AfDB President, Akinwunmi Adeshina; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Presidents Felix Tshishiked and Joaquim Chissano; Joyce Banda; Ameenah Gurib – Fakim and IFAD President, Kanayo Nwanze, among others.
“He is expected to highlight reforms being instituted in the Nigerian Agrifood sector by the Tinubu administration and engage several stakeholders, partners and investors in opportunities for investments in Nigeria”, the statement added.
