On Sunday, Vice President Kashim Shettima left Nigeria for Beijing, China, to attend the third Belt and Road Initiative Forum, representing President Bola Tinubu. The announcement of Shettima’s departure was made by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President. The forum is scheduled to take place from October 16 to October 18.
Nkwocha shared that the Vice President, alongside leaders from more than 130 nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, will engage in discussions centered around the theme, “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.”
Additionally, it was disclosed that Shettima intends to leverage this opportunity to attract foreign investors for various developmental projects.
“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.
“Adopted and launched by the government of the People’s Republic of China in 2013.
“The initiative 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 and other partner countries across the world are to benefit from the initiative in areas of infrastructure investments such as ports, skyscrapers, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams and coal-fired power stations,” Nkwocha shared.
Accompanying Shettima on the trip are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu and the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali.
Others include the Minister Of Works, David Umahi, 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 Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Michael Ohiani.