The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji have departed Nigeria for Dallas, United States of America for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa.
The Vice President, who is representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will join other heads of government, political and business leaders across Africa, the United States of America and beyond for the summit, which will feature high-level dialogues, networking business sessions and the plenary, all scheduled to hold at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
African leaders expected at the summit include, H.E. Joseph Boakai, President, Republic of Liberia; H.E. Lazarus Chakwera, President, Republic of Malawi; H.E. Joao Lourenço, President, Republic of Angola; H.E. Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi, President, Republic of Botswana; H.E. José Maria Neves, President, Republic of Cabo Verde, and Hon. Nthomeng Majara, Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Lesotho.
Besides the summit plenary, Vice President Shettima is expected to speak at the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment with a focus on impact and returns. He is also scheduled to speak on a high-level panel on agribusiness, focusing on transiting “from food insecurity to thriving agribusinesses”.
Also, the Vice President will speak at a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future as well as chair a session dedicated to promoting the ‘invest in Nigeria’ initiative, according to a statement by Stanley Nkeocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications ( Office of the Vice President).
Similarly, Governor Oyebanji, who departed Lagos for the US on Sunday night is billed to participate in a panel session comprising heads of sub- national government, agencies and institutions at the US-Africa Business Summit with theme: “US-Africa Business: Partnering for Sustainable Success”,
According to a statement by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode; Governor Oyebanji is also billed to hold talks with some institutions on the sideline of the summit. These include: Power Africa, on how to leverage the recent development reforms in the power sector in Ekiti state. He will also hold talks with the US International Development Finance Corporation on how to access cheaper financial support in furtherance of the government’s shared prosperity agenda.
The Governor will also participate in the nineteenth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19), holding at the UN Headquarters in New York. He is billed to take part in the Forum’s policy sessions on implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) alongside other invited Heads of states, senior officials of government, private sectors and stakeholders.
Before returning to Nigeria, the Governor will also hold discussions with critical stakeholders and business leaders in the US in furtherance of the shared prosperity agenda of the administration, the statement added.