Buhari off to Ethiopia for AU summit

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently heading to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the 33rd ordinary session of presidents and governments of the African Union.

He is expected back in the country on Wednesday.

Buhari will join leaders from the 55-member countries of the AU to participate in the summit themed: “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.”

On the margins of the summit, he is expected to deliver a keynote address titled: “Stop the War on Children: Dividend of Silencing the Guns”.

The event is co-sponsored by the governments of Nigeria, Uganda and Norway, and Save the Children International.

The president was accompanied by Hope Uzodinma, Ben Ayade, governors of Imo and Cross River states respectively;  Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, chairman, senate committee on foreign affairs; Yusuf Baba, chairman, house committee on foreign affairs.

Others are: Geoffrey Onyeama, Hadi Sirika, Otunba Niyi Adebayo;  Bashir Magashi, Lai Mohammed; ministers of foreign affairs, aviation, trade and commerce, defence, information.

Also in the president’s entourage are Gloria Akobundu, national coordinator/chief executive officer, NEPAD Nigeria; Babagana Monguno, national security adviser; Ahmed Abubakar, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

“The President will attend the 29th Forum of Heads of State and Government of Participating States of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the 27th Session of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (AUDA-NEPAD). The meetings will precede the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly,” Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said in a statement.

“In Nigeria’s capacity as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council, President Buhari will participate in the High Level meeting of the Peace and Security Council on the situation in the Sahel and Libya, and High Level Ad-Hoc Committee on South Sudan.

“President Buhari and the Nigerian delegation will also participate in other High Level Side Events in furtherance of Nigeria’s national, regional and international goals, priorities and aspirations namely, peace and security, countering terrorism and violent extremism, economic development, asset recovery and fight against corruption.

“The President will also hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the margins of the Summit.”