PHOTOS: VP Shettima Represents President Tinubu at BRI Forum in China
NEWS DIGEST – Today, Vice President of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima, is embarking on a significant journey from Abuja to Beijing, China. His mission: to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the highly anticipated 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, scheduled from 16th to 18th October, 2023.
In a statement signed by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media & Communications, he emphasized that this event is set to unite global leaders from over 130 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The Forum’s theme, “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity,” will be the focal point of these high-level discussions.
Vice President Shettima aims to capitalize on this platform to attract investors for a range of developmental projects in Nigeria. Bilateral meetings with world leaders are also on the agenda, aiming to bolster Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in alignment with the economic development goals set by the Tinubu administration.
The 2023 BRI marks its 10th anniversary, underscoring the substantial global impact of this initiative, envisioned and pioneered by the President of China, Xi Jinping, to drive a comprehensive strategy for worldwide infrastructure development.
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Initiated by the government of the Peoples Republic of China in 2013, the BRI seeks international cooperation and infrastructure investment in nearly 70 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe via land and maritime routes. In 2018, Nigeria, represented by then President Muhammadu Buhari, signed a cooperation agreement with China to actively participate in this transformative initiative.
Nigeria, along with partner-countries globally, stands to benefit from considerable infrastructure investments encompassing ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and coal-fired power stations.
Joining the Vice President on this pivotal mission to the Belt and Road Initiative Forum are esteemed ministers and key figures from Nigeria, underscoring the significance of this engagement and its potential impact on Nigeria’s development.
In addition to his role in China, Vice President Shettima will further the agenda of the Tinubu administration by heading to the United States of America. There, he will deliver the keynote address at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Food Prize-facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, set to commence on October 24th, 2023.
The Vice President will stand alongside distinguished African and international leaders at this event, shedding light on reforms in Nigeria’s Agrifood sector and exploring investment opportunities within the nation.
Numerous meetings and engagements have been meticulously scheduled for the Vice President during this mission, and he is expected to return to Nigeria after fulfilling his commitments in the US.
