The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, is set to embark on a diplomatic mission to Beijing, China, to stand in for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the upcoming 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, scheduled to take place from October 16th to 18th, 2023.
In an official statement signed by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President), the Vice President will join leaders from more than 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.”
The primary focus of this mission is to leverage the platform provided by the Forum to attract investors for Nigeria’s developmental projects. Additionally, the Vice President is expected to hold bilateral meetings with global leaders, further promoting Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in alignment with the economic development agenda of the Tinubu administration.
The 2023 edition of the BRI marks the 10th anniversary of this global infrastructure development initiative, initially championed by China’s President, Xi Jinping. The Belt and Road Initiative seeks to encourage international cooperation and stimulate infrastructure investments in nearly 70 countries spanning Asia, Africa, and Europe, through both land and maritime routes.
In 2018, on behalf of Nigeria, then President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. This partnership is expected to benefit Nigeria and other participating countries through extensive infrastructure investments, including ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and coal-fired power stations.
The delegation accompanying Vice President Shettima to the Belt and Road Initiative Forum comprises several key officials, including 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 of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.
Furthermore, as part of President Tinubu’s agenda to enhance food security and diversification, the Vice President will continue his journey to the United States of America (USA), where he will serve as the special guest and deliver the keynote address at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Food Prize – facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, commencing on October 24th, 2023.
The Vice President is set to join an illustrious assembly of African international leaders and heads of state/government who have previously delivered keynote addresses at the Borlaug Dialogue, including Kofi Annan, World Food Prize Laureates, President John Kufuor, Akinwunmi Adeshina, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Presidents Felix Tshishiked, Joaquim Chissano, Joyce Banda, Ameenah Gurib – Fakim, and IFAD President Kanayo Nwanze, among others.
During this event, Vice President Shettima is expected to highlight the agrifood sector reforms instituted by the Tinubu administration in Nigeria and engage various stakeholders, partners, and potential investors to explore opportunities for investment in the country.
Multiple meetings and engagements are scheduled for the Vice President during his diplomatic mission, and he is anticipated to return to Nigeria after fulfilling his commitments in the United States.
