Buhari leaves for UAE on State visit, future energy summit
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari will leave Nigeria on Sunday, to United Arab Emirate on a state visit and to participate at this year’s edition of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
Mr President, who will participate at the summit as a special guest, with the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and others in attendance, will also seek the help of the Kingdom in tracking stolen billions from Nigeria.
The Summit which is now in its ninth year of existence has developed into one of the world’s most influential events dedicated to advancing future energy, energy efficiency and clean technologies.
In a move signalling Nigeria’s reengagement with the Middle-East region, President Buhari will also lead a team of his ministers to bilateral talks with the government of the UAE.
After the talks, a number of agreements between both countries on economic, trade and bilateral relations are expected to be signed.
From the visit, Nigeria also expects to get more support from the UAE for its war against terrorism and the recovery of Nigeria’s stolen funds. The UAE is one of the favorite destinations of Nigeria’s looters.
President Buhari is also scheduled to meet with leading UAE businessmen who are interested in Nigeria with a view to encouraging greater investment inflows to critical sectors such as power supply, oil, gas and agriculture.
The President, who will be accompanied by the ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Petroleum, Environment, Justice, Trade and Investment, Finance and Foreign Affairs, as well as the National Security Adviser, will also meet with Nigerian professionals in the UAE before returning to Abuja on Tuesday, January 19.