Fashola to accompany Buhari to UAE summit

Babatunde Fashola, minister of works, power and housing, will accompany President Muhammadu Buhari to a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Fashola’s counterparts in petroleum, environment, justice, trade and investment, finance and foreign affairs, as well as the national security adviser, will also make the trip.

According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Ban Ki Moon, secretary-general of the United Nations, will be in attendance.

“President Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday, January 17, embark on a three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” the statement read.

“In the course of the visit, President Buhari will join the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and other participants as a special guest of honour at this year’s edition of the World Future Energy Summit.

“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 re-engagement 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.

“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.”