President Muhammadu Buhari is set to depart Nigeria on Friday for Beijing, China, where he will participate in the 7th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled for September 3 and 4, 2018.
Among the Nigerian delegation accompanying the President is Senator Godswill Akpabio, who represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
Buhari’s first official engagement in Beijing is expected to be an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community in China at the Nigerian Embassy.
Ahead of the formal opening of the FOCAC Summit, the President, in his capacity as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is expected to deliver remarks at a High-Level Dialogue involving Chinese and African leaders, business representatives and African entrepreneurs.
He will also join Chinese President Xi Jinping and other African leaders for the opening and roundtable sessions of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit.
The summit is being held under the theme, “Towards an Even Stronger China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.”
Following the summit, Buhari is expected to hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Discussions are expected to focus on infrastructure financing for strategic projects in Nigeria and efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and China.
The President is also expected to use the meetings to review the progress of Chinese-supported infrastructure projects in Nigeria, particularly in the railway and power sectors.
Since the 2015 FOCAC summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Buhari’s state visit to China in April 2016, Nigeria and China have continued to deepen cooperation in several areas.
These include infrastructure development, trade, investment, finance, power, agriculture and education.
Buhari has repeatedly acknowledged China’s role in supporting infrastructure development in Nigeria.
While receiving the Board of Directors of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group in January 2018, the President expressed appreciation for China’s support, particularly through infrastructure financing and concessional loans.
“We send our gratitude to the Chinese for all their support to Nigeria. Since independence, no country has helped our country on infrastructural development like the Chinese,” Buhari said.
He added that some projects had received substantial Chinese financing, including arrangements involving long-term soft loans.
Buhari is expected to be accompanied to Beijing by his wife, Aisha Buhari, who is scheduled to participate in a spouses’ programme on China-Africa relations at the Great Hall of the People.
The programme is expected to focus on cooperation and initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of families and communities.
Also joining the presidential delegation are governors Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State and Rochas Anayo Okorocha of Imo State.
Other members of the delegation include Senators Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Godswill Akpabio and Aliyu Wamakko, representing Nasarawa, Benue, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states respectively.
Akpabio’s inclusion in the delegation comes shortly after his highly publicised move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding political significance to his participation in the presidential trip.
0 Comments