Vice- President Kashim Shettima is slated to embark on a diplomatic mission from Abuja to Dallas, United States of America, where he will serve as the envoy of President Bola Tinubu at the esteemed 2024 U. S. – Africa Business Summit. This significant event, organized by the prestigious Corporate Council on Africa, stands as a pivotal platform for fostering economic partnerships and collaborations between the United States and Africa, showcasing the potential for mutual growth and development.
Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice- President, conveyed this significant announcement in a formal statement issued on Sunday from the nation’ s capital, Abuja.
Shettima’ s attendance at this high- profile summit underscores Nigeria’ s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing economic cooperation with both the United States and other African nations. His presence alongside other political and business leaders from across the continent and beyond signifies Nigeria’ s proactive engagement in shaping the future landscape of business and investment opportunities.
The summit’ s agenda is replete with an array of strategic engagements, including high- level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries, all meticulously crafted to stimulate discussions and catalyze actionable solutions to pressing economic challenges. Scheduled to unfold at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, these sessions are poised to delve into critical themes such as African infrastructure investment, agribusiness, and the imperative of navigating Africa’ s energy future amidst evolving global dynamics.
Among the distinguished African leaders slated to grace the summit are His Excellency Joseph Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia; His Excellency Lazarus Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi; and His Excellency Joao Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, alongside other eminent figures including His Excellency Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana; His Excellency José Maria Neves, President of the Republic of Cabo Verde; and Her Excellency Nthomeng Majara, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
Shettima’s participation in the summit extends beyond mere attendance, as he is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping deliberations and steering discussions towards actionable outcomes. His engagements are slated to encompass speaking engagements at various sessions, including a roundtable discussion on African infrastructure investment, where the focus will be on assessing impact and returns. Additionally, he will lend his insights to a high-level panel discussion on agribusiness, with an emphasis on transitioning from food insecurity to thriving agribusiness ventures, a critical imperative for sustainable economic growth and development across the continent.
Furthermore, Shettima is slated to contribute to a plenary session dedicated to charting the trajectory of Africa’s energy future, underscoring the imperative of leveraging renewable energy sources and fostering sustainable energy practices to drive inclusive growth and mitigate environmental challenges.
In addition to his substantive contributions to the summit’ s thematic discussions, Shettima will assume the mantle of chairing a dedicated session aimed at promoting the ‘ invest in Nigeria’ initiative, showcasing Nigeria’ s vast investment potential and serving as a catalyst for attracting foreign direct investment into key sectors of the economy.
Amidst his packed schedule at the summit, Shettima is also expected to engage in a series of bilateral meetings and sideline engagements aimed at fostering synergies and exploring
collaborative opportunities with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors.
Nkwocha emphasized that Shettima’ s participation in the summit underscores Nigeria’ s unwavering commitment to advancing its economic agenda and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with strategic allies. He reiterated that Shettima’ s representation at the summit is a testament to Nigeria’s status as a key player on the global stage, endowed with immense potential and poised for sustained economic growth and development.
Vice President Kashim Shettima’ s recent journey to the United States, specifically to participate in the US-Africa Business Summit, has left a notable void in Nigeria’s executive leadership, with President Bola Tinubu still absent from the country. Despite his attendance at the Special World Economic Forum meeting,
President Tinubu has not returned to Nigeria even six days after the event’s conclusion.
