The Presidency has said that the State visit by the Nigerian Leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Qatar is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and the Qatar government.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga stated this in a statement made available to State House Correspondent on a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Onanuga noted the healthy bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Qatar, affirming that the State Visit by President Tinubu to Qatar is at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
The Presidential aide disclosed that the Nigerian leader will engage in high-level bilateral discussions with the Qatari leader on many crucial matters, covering the diplomatic and economic issues.
He further hinted that the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture NACCIMA, and Qatar Chambers of
Commerce and Industry collaborated to take advantage of President Tinubu’s visit to mobilise the business community from two countries to explore opportunities in key economic sectors such as oil & gas, manufacturing, agro-business, construction, real estate, ICT, Renewable Energy, Solid Minerals and service sector, amongst others.
Leaked Diplomatic Correspondence
The Special Adviser to the President said that it was incorrect to insinuate that the Qatari authorities snubbed the Nigerian Leader over a business investment forum, “which is tangential to the all-important State Visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest.
“We are aware of leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar between 2 and 3 March 2024.
The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari government.
The Note Verbale is about a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Visit.
Onanuga stressed that President Tinubu and His Highness Al-Thani are both committed to maintaining and building on the existing cordial and special relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.
Dominica Nwabufo
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