Buhari arrives China for FOCAC summit

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday arrived in Beijing, China, to participate in the 7th Summit of the Forum on China — Africa Cooperation (FOCAC 2018).

The president’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmad, who is on the president’s entourage to China, confirmed this on his twitter handle on Saturday.

President Buhari left Abuja on Friday for the summit after receiving the German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A statement earlier issued on Aug. 30 in Abuja by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, made available to National Daily, said that Buhari would participate in the summit scheduled to hold between Sept. 3 and Sept.4.

He said that before the formal opening of the summit, Buhari, in his capacity as the Chair of ECOWAS, would deliver remarks at the high-level dialogue among Chinese and African leaders, business representatives and African entrepreneurs.

He added that the Nigerian president was scheduled to join President Xi Jinping of China and other African leaders for the opening and roundtable sessions of the summit.

The theme of the summit is “Towards an even Stronger China-Africa Community with a shared Future.’’

Shehu said that after the FOCAC Summit, Buhari would hold bilateral meetings with Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, to discuss infrastructure financing for strategic projects in Nigeria.

He stated that their discussion would also cover the upgrading of Nigeria-China relations “from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership.

The statement said that Buhari would be accompanied to Beijing by his wife, Aisha, who was scheduled to participate in a spouses’ programme on China-Africa at the Great Hall of the People, with the theme: ‘‘Joining Hands for a Future of AIDS.’’

Also on the president’s entourage are Gov. Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar; Bauchi State, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode; Lagos State, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar; Jigawa and Gov. Rochas Okorocha; Imo.

Others are Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Sen. George Akume, Sen.Godswill Akpabio and Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and Minister of FCT Muhammad Bello were also in the entourage.

Similarly, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Water Resource Suleiman Adamu, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu and Minister of State, Aviation Hadi Sirika, went for the summit.

The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar and the Group Managing Director Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Maikanti Baru, will also attend.