PRESS RELEASE
President Muhammadu Buhari will Friday depart for China to participate in 7th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled to hold September 3 - 4, 2018 in Beijing.
The President’s first engagement in Beijing will be an interactive session with Nigerian Community in China at Nigerian Embassy.
Before the formal opening of the FOCAC Summit, Mr Buhari in his capacity as current Chair of ECOWAS, is expected to deliver remarks at the High-Level Dialogue between Chinese and African leaders, business representatives and African entrepreneurs.
The President is scheduled to join President Jinping and other African leaders for the opening and roundtable sessions of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit under the theme: “Towards an even Stronger China-Africa Community with a shared Future.”
After FOCAC Summit, Buhari will hold bilateral meetings with Mr Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang to discuss infrastructure financing for strategic projects in Nigeria and upgrading of Nigeria-China relations “from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership.
The President will also use the occasion of his audience with the Chinese leadership to assess the progress made so far in Chinese interventions in Nigeria’s key priority infrastructure projects, particularly on-going projects in railway and power sectors.
It is noteworthy that since the last FOCAC VI Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in December 2015 – the first attended by the Nigerian leader – and his successful State visit to China in April 2016, the current administration has pushed forward practical cooperation with China in the areas of infrastructure construction, trade, investments, finance, power, agriculture, education cooperation, among others.
It would be recalled that Buhari has consistently acknowledged Chinese support for infrastructure development in Nigeria.
In January 2018 while receiving Board of Directors of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, the President had said:
‘‘We send our gratitude to the Chinese for all their support to Nigeria. Since independence, no country has helped our country on infrastructural development like the Chinese. In some projects, the Chinese help us with 85 percent payment, and soft loans that span 20 years. No country has done that for us.’’
Buhari will be accompanied to Beijing by his wife, Aisha, who is scheduled to participate in a Spouses’ Programme on China-Africa at the Great Hall of the People, under the theme, ‘‘Joining Hands for a Future of AIDS.’’
Also on the President’s entourage are Governors Mohammed Abubakar, Akinwunmi Ambode, Mohammed Abubakar and Rochas Okorocha of Bauchi, Lagos, Jigawa and Imo States respectively.
Others are Messers Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Godswill Akpabio and Aliyu Wamakko representing Nasarawa, Benue, Akwa Ibom and Sokoto States respectively in Senate.
Also accompanying the President are: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of FCT, Mr Muhammad Bello; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma; Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, and Minister of State, Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika.
Others are the National Security Adviser, Mr Babagana Monguno; Director General, National Intelligence Agency, Mr Ahmed Abubakar; and Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mr Maikanti Baru.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
