Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday night, departed Abuja to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the G77+China Leaders’ Summit in Havana, Cuba.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Adamu Lamuwa, amongst others.
A statement on Tuesday by Olusola Abiola, Director Information, Office of the Vice President, revealed that Shettima would be joining other world leaders, including the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres, at the summit, which runs from 15th to 17th September, 2023.
He said the summit would explore proactive ways of addressing challenges facing the development of the member-states leveraging science, technology and innovation to enhance socio-economic growth.
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Abiola added that Shettima would on the sidelines of the summit hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to promote Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in line with the economic development diplomacy of the Tinubu administration.
He said the Havana Summit is being hosted by the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in his capacity as Chairman of the G77 and China, under the theme: “Current Development Challenges: The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation.”
“Nigeria is a founding member of the G77 group which was established in 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries.
“The group – a coalition of 134 developing countries with 80% of world population, aims to promote its members’ collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations,” the statement added.
