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On Sunday, Vice President Kashim Shettima departed Nigeria to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum in Beijing, China, scheduled for October 16 to 18. This announcement came through a statement from Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President).
Shettima is set to join world leaders from over 130 countries spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to engage in discussions centered on the theme, “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.”
The Vice President’s mission is to leverage the forum’s platform to attract investors for further developmental projects in Nigeria. Shettima plans to conduct bilateral meetings with other global leaders to advance Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in alignment with the economic development agenda of the Tinubu administration.
The statement highlighted that the 2023 edition of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marks the 10th anniversary of this global infrastructure development strategy initiated by President Xi Jinping of China. The BRI, launched by the Chinese government in 2013, aims to foster international cooperation and promote infrastructure investment across nearly 70 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe via land and maritime routes.
It’s worth noting that in 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China on behalf of Nigeria. Nkwocha also mentioned that the Vice President’s delegation to the forum includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, the Minister Of Works, David Umahi, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, and the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.
