Buhari departs Nigeria on Sunday for South Korea

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday departed Abuja for Seoul, South Korea, to participate in the First World Bio Summit 2022.

The two-day Summit, jointly organized by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the World Health Organisation (WHO), holding between October 25 and 26, has the theme: ‘The Future of Vaccine and Bio-Health.’

Nigeria and five other African countries selected by WHO from the continent to participate in the Summit. They were selected  the European Union (EU) during the last EU-African Summit in Brussels, Belgium in February this year for mRNA technology transfer and Global Training Hub for Bio-manufacturing of vaccines on the African continent.

Also expected to feature at the World Bio Summit are CEOs of global vaccine and Biologics companies who will share and shape ideas on the theme, given that, according to the organisers, “global health security profoundly depends on the innovation and development in the bio-industry.” The partnership between the Republic of Korea and WHO, is therefore, to underscore not only the above historic truth, but also the need to launch international stage-efforts on the nature of creativity and innovation required to contain any future health pandemic.

President Buhari is expected to deliver a Statement at the Summit, and also meet separately with President Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea. The president will seek ways of more effective partnerships that impact positively on the lives and safety of Nigerians during his other engagements and meetings while in Seoul.

The president is accompanied on the trip by  Governors Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State; foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama, health minister Osagie Ehanire and  industry minister Adeniyi Adebayo, including Timipre Sylva, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.

Others include Maj-Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (Rtd), National Security Adviser; Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General, National Intelligence Agency; Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC; Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General, NCDC; Bashir Jamoh, Director-General, NIMASA; Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, NiDCOM as well as other top government officials.