The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has left Nigeria to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on a diplomatic mission in China and the United States to woo investors to the country.
The Vice President is scheduled to participate in two significant international forums, according to a press release sent to journalists by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President for Media and Communications.
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Shettima is set to depart for Beijing, China, today to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, scheduled from October 16th to October 18th, 2023.
The prestigious gathering will convene leaders from over 130 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Their mission is to discuss and deliberate upon the theme, “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.”
The Vice President, while attending the BRI Forum, is expected to use this global platform to attract investors for numerous developmental initiatives in Nigeria.
The 2023 edition of the BRI will 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.
In 2013, the government of the People’s Republic of China introduced an initiative aimed at fostering international collaboration and boosting infrastructure investments.
This effort spans almost 70 countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe, connecting them through both land and maritime routes.
In 2018, then President Muhammadu Buhari, on behalf of Nigeria, signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China.
Once his obligations in China are complete, Shettima will head to the United States of America. He has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the renowned Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, an event organized in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Food Prize.
Commencing on October 24, 2023, this event will assemble distinguished African and international leaders who have previously given keynote speeches, reinforcing Nigeria’s global influence
In this address, Shettima will emphasize the essential changes taking place in Nigeria’s agrifood sector under President Tinubu’s leadership.
The aim is to engage with various stakeholders, partners, and investors to explore opportunities for investment in Nigeria, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to food security and diversification.
The delegation accompanying Vice President Shettima to the BRI Forum includes several key ministers and officials. They are:
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 Alkal
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
The Director-General, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani