Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Nigeria to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum, scheduled to take place in Beijing, China, from October 16 to 18.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The Vice President will join leaders from more than 130 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to discuss the theme of the forum, which is “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity.”
During the forum, Vice President Shettima is expected to leverage the platform to attract investors for various developmental projects in Nigeria. He will also engage in bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote trade and investment relations, aligning with the economic development agenda of the Tinubu administration.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, seeks international collaboration to enhance cooperation and infrastructure investment in approximately 70 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, using land and maritime routes. In 2018, Nigeria, along with other partner countries, signed the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. The initiative aims to support infrastructure investments such as ports, railroads, roads, bridges, airports, dams, and power stations in these countries.
Vice President Shettima’s delegation to the forum includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. 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.