For the second time in 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari has on Sunday, May 16 departed the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and embarked on a trip to France.
According to Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant on New Media to the President, Buhari departs Abuja for Paris, France, ahead of the African Finance Summit.
Ahmad said the Summit would focus on reviewing the African economy, following shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic, and getting relief, primarily from increased debt burden on countries.
The Presidency revealed that President Emmanuel Macron would host the summit, which will draw significant stakeholders in the global financial institutions and some Heads of Government, who will, collectively, discuss external funding and debt treatment for Africa, and private sector reforms.
According to the Presidency, Buhari would, during the visit, meet with the French President to discuss growing security threats in Sahel and Lake Chad region, political relations, economic ties and climate change.
Also, before returning to Nigeria, President Buhari will receive some key players in the oil and gas sector, engineering and telecommunications, the European Council and European Union Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and Commission, and members of the Nigerian community.
You will recall that the President recently travelled to the United Kingdom for a routine medical checkup. However, his departure when medical practitioners were on strike generated many reactions from Nigerians home and abroad (read more here).
A former Presidential spokesman, Reno Omokri led a protest in London to demand that Buhari return and fix the medical sector in Nigeria instead of spending colossal taxpayers money on medical tourism.