President Muhammadu Buhari will today jet out of the country for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to take part in the 33rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president will be attending other events that will precede the AU meeting, themed “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”.
Shehu said Buhari will attend the 29th Forum of Heads of State and Government of Participating States of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the 27th Session of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (AUDA-NEPAD). The meetings will precede the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly.
“In Nigeria’s capacity as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council, Buhari will participate in the High Level meeting of the council on the situation in the Sahel and Libya, and High Level Ad-Hoc Committee on South Sudan.
“On the margins of the Summit, the President will deliver a keynote address at a High Level Side Event on “Stop the War on Children: Dividend of Silencing the Guns.” The event is co-sponsored by the Governments of Nigeria, Uganda and Norway as well as Save the Children International.
Buhari and the Nigerian delegation will also participate in other high level side events in furtherance of Nigeria’s national, regional and international goals, priorities and aspirations namely, peace and security, countering terrorism and violent extremism, economic development, asset recovery and fight against corruption.
The President will also hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the margins of the summit.
At the end of the summit on February 10, the President will begin a state visit to Ethiopia on February 11, at the invitation of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Buhari is expected back in Abuja on Wednesday, February 12.
