President Muhammadu Buhari departed Abuja yesterday for Madrid, Spain, as head of an 11-man delegation on a state visit to the European nation at the invitation of Spanish President Pedro Sanchez.
The first by the Nigerian leader, Buhari would also meet with the Head of State of the Spanish nation, His Majesty King Felipe VI.
During his engagements with both leaders, the Nigerian president would discuss issues of mutual interest to both countries, which would expectedly result in the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding on a wide range of topics geared towards further enhancing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Spain, the statement said.
Other issues to be discussed include extradition and transfer of convicted persons, mutual legal assistance, cultural matters, cooperation towards fighting crime and enhancing security, as well as issues affecting dependants of diplomatic staff.
On the agenda also are cooperation on energy, trade and investment, transportation, public health and sports development, as well as, a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO].
The president would also be the special guest at an investment forum jointly organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Trade, and the Confederation of Employers [CEOE], where he would speak to the gathering of top members of the Spanish business community and their Nigerian counterparts on the investment opportunities in Nigeria and ways of expanding the volume of trade as well as further collaborating for the development of the economies of both countries.
The president schedule visit to the UNWTO is even more controversial as the government has continued to treat tourism with levity in the country and many wondered why the President would embark on such visit.
On the president’s entourage are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Abdulai Mohammed; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare; and Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora.
Others are National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno [rtd]; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency [NIA], Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission [NiDCOM], Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.