On Sunday, December 11, President Muhammadu Buhari will depart for Washington, D.C., where he will meet with other African leaders during the United States-Africa Leaders Summit.
Governors Bala Mohammed and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of the states of Bauchi and Kwara, as well as other senior government officials, will travel with the President.
In a statement released on Saturday, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president for media and publicity, said the high-level meeting, which will take place from December 13 to 15, is being organized at the request of US President Joe Biden, who is looking forward to “working with African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of US-Africa relations.”
The event, he said, is anticipated to highlight the importance of US-Africa relations and enhance cooperation on common global concerns while demonstrating the United States’ unwavering commitment to Africa.
He went on to say that the summit is looking for more practical ways to: encourage new economic engagement; advance peace, security, and good governance; strengthen adherence to democracy, human rights, and civil society; work together to improve regional and global health security; promote food security; address the climate crisis; strengthen ties between diasporas; and promote education and youth leadership.
On the first day, the president will talk about conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition, the presidential spokesman stated, focusing particularly on the “just energy transition” element.
Shehu stated that in addition to participating in the US-Africa Business Forum (USABF), which is organized by the US Department of Commerce and focuses on boosting trade and investment between the US and African countries, he would also speak on some of the other sub-themes of the summit.
He stated that the Nigerian delegation to the US-Nigeria Business and Investment Forum Business Roundtable will be hosted by the Corporate Council of Africa on the margins of the summit and that the mission is anticipated to sign deals with American counterparts.
Shehu stated that on Sunday, December 18, President Buhari is expected to return to the nation.
