President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Tuesday, June 28 on a State Visit to Portugal at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
On Sunday, President Buhari returned from Kigali, Rwanda where he participated in the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and also held bilateral talks with world leaders.
Last month, Buhari left Abuja to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he is expected to meet the country’s new President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to convey his condolences on the passing of the former president and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a statement on Tuesday that President Buhari, 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.’
The two Presidents are expected to chair an enlarged bilateral meeting and witness the signing of some agreements bordering on issues of mutual concern.
President 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.
In the course of 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.
President Buhari will also participate in the United Nations Ocean Conference, which began in Lisbon on Monday, June 27, and runs till July 1.
The 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.
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 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) Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The President is expected to return to Abuja on Saturday, July 2.