Vice President Kashim Shettima of Nigeria has embarked on a diplomatic mission to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum in Beijing, China, scheduled to take place from October 16 to 18. This significant event, aimed at fostering international cooperation and infrastructure development, is expected to draw leaders from more than 130 countries spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
In a statement released on Sunday, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, confirmed Shettima’s attendance at the forum and elaborated on the objectives of his visit. The primary theme of the forum is “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.” The Vice President’s role will include leveraging this global platform to attract investors for further development projects in Nigeria.
Furthermore, Nkwocha emphasized that Vice President Shettima would engage in bilateral meetings with world leaders to advance Nigeria’s trade and investment relations, in alignment with President Tinubu’s economic development agenda. This forum is particularly significant as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.
The BRI seeks to promote international collaboration and encourage infrastructure investments across nearly 70 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe through both land and maritime routes. Notably, Nigeria, represented by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. The collaboration is anticipated to yield extensive infrastructure investments, such as ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and coal-fired power stations in Nigeria and other participating nations.
The Nigerian delegation accompanying Vice President Shettima at the forum includes Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; Sa’idu Alkali, Minister of Transportation; David Umahi, Minister Of Works; Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation; and Michael Ohiani, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.
In a related development, Nkwocha shared that, as part of the Tinubu administration’s food security and diversification policy, Vice President Shettima will also travel to the United States of America (USA) after the China visit. While in the USA, Shettima will serve as a special guest and deliver a keynote address at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Food Prize-facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, which is scheduled to commence on October 24, 2023.
This prestigious event will bring together African and international leaders, including former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, World Food Prize Laureates, Ghana President John Kufuor, AfDB President Akinwunmi Adeshina, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and other dignitaries. Vice President Shettima will highlight the reforms initiated in Nigeria’s agrifood sector by the Tinubu administration and engage with stakeholders, partners, and potential investors to explore opportunities for investments in Nigeria.
Numerous meetings and engagements have been planned for the Vice President during his stay in the USA, and he is expected to return to Nigeria after fulfilling his commitments in both China and the United States.
