Vice President Shettima To Represent President Tinubu At 3rd Belt And Road Initiative In China

Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima departed from the country to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum in Beijing, China, where he will be representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The event, scheduled to take place from Monday to Wednesday, will be attended by world leaders from over 130 countries, including Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It will be held under the theme, titled "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity."

Vice President Shettima will encourage investors to contribute more to developmental projects in Nigeria, and he will also hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to promote trade and investment relations in line with the economic development agenda, as per the State House's official statement issued Sunday.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications, mentioned that 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."

This initiative was adopted and launched by the People's Republic of China in 2013, and it seeks "international action to enhance cooperation and promote infrastructure investment in nearly 70 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes."

Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China in 2018 on behalf of Nigeria, adding that the country is benefitting from this initiative in areas of infrastructure investments such as ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and coal-fired power stations.

Shettima will be heading the delegation that includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu; Minister of Transportation, Sa'idu Ahmed Alkali; Minister Of Works, David Umahi; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite.

The delegation will also include the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, and the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.

Following his visit to China, Shettima will also visit the United States to talk about the food security and diversification policy of the Tinubu administration. He will deliver a keynote address at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Food Prize – facilitated Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue on Oct. 24.

Shettima will be accompanied by African international leaders and heads of state/government, including General and AGRA founder, Kofi Annan; World Food Prize Laureates; Ghana President, John Kufuor; and AfDB President, Akinwunmi Adeshina.