Shettima to attend G77 summit in Cuba

Vice President Kashim Shettima will leave Abuja on Wednesday (today) to travel to Cuba for the G77+China Leaders' Summit, which will be held from September 15–17, 2023. He will represent President Bola Tinubu there.

Olusola Abiola, the director of information for the vice president's office, revealed this in a statement that was made accessible to the media.

He stated that the Vice President will attend the Summit along with other international leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres, to discuss development challenges that mostly affect members from the global south.

The Summit will also examine proactive approaches to resolving issues affecting the member states' development while harnessing science, technology, and innovation to boost socioeconomic growth.

In accordance with the economic development diplomacy of the Tinubu government, Vice President Shettima will undertake bilateral discussions with other international leaders on the sidelines of the summit to strengthen Nigeria's trade and investment partnerships.

  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.”

The G77 group, which was founded in 1964 by seventy-seven developing nations, includes Nigeria as a founding member. The group, a coalition of 134 developing nations representing 80% of the global population, aspires to advance the economic interests of all of its members and strengthen their ability to negotiate jointly at the UN.

The Vice President is accompanied on the trip 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.

Source