By New Citizen
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday, June 28, depart Abuja on a State Visit to Portugal at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
A statement issued the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, disclosed that the president, who will hold official talks with his Portuguese counterpart, will be conferred with the country’s National Honour and decorated with ‘Great Collar of the Order of Prince Henry.’
Shehu said the two leaders are expected to chair an enlarged bilateral meeting and witness the signing of some agreements bordering on issues of mutual concern.
Buhari will also visit the Portuguese Parliament and hold discussions with its president, Dr Augusto Santo Silva, as well as the Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, he said.
Shehu also stated that during the visit, the president is scheduled to address a Forum of Nigerian and Portuguese businessmen and hold separate meetings with select Portuguese Chief Executive Officers and prospective investors to Nigeria.
The president will also participate in the United Nations Ocean Conference, which began in Lisbon on Monday, June 27, and runs till July 1.
He said thr conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, and supported by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), aims to accelerate the adoption of science-based innovative solutions to challenges facing oceans and the global marine ecosystem.
He added: “The Nigerian leader is also expected to engage members of the Nigerian community in Portugal on matters affecting them and developments at home.”
The president will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, and Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
Others are the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Shehu said Buhari will return to Abuja on Saturday, July 2.
