The Presidency has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu’s requests for a enterprise assembly in Qatar was rejected as a consequence of absence of diplomatic relationships between each international locations.
Bayo Onanuga, the particular adviser to the President on communications and technique, in an announcement, stated that the “leaked memo was not a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari authorities”.
He said that Presidency is conscious of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and Nigeria’s Ministry of International Affairs concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state go to to Qatar between 2 and three March, 2024.
“The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an funding discussion board is just not in any method a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari authorities,” Onanuga stated.
The leaked memo had said that “Qatar stated that the rejection of President Tinubu’s request for visitation for the enterprise and funding discussion board was because of the lack of a legally binding settlement between the nation and Nigeria for the promotion of funding.
Nonetheless, Onanuga identified that Qatar had in a letter to the Nigerian authorities famous that its ministry of commerce had different commitments on the times President Tinubu desired to go to.
Qatar was quoted as saying within the word despatched to Nigeria’s Ministry of International Affairs on Thursday that “The Embassy has the honour to tell that the Ministry of Commerce and Business in Qatar apologises that it won’t be able to carry a Enterprise and Funding Discussion board as proposed by Nigerian aspect.
“There is no such thing as a any settlement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Funding Promotion and Safety,” it stated.
“The nation additional burdened that its Minister of Commerce and Business, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani “might be finishing up official missions outdoors the nation in the course of the upcoming go to interval” which makes him unavailable to satisfy with the Nigerian chief”.
However Onanuga in his response defined that ” the Be aware Verbale is a few personal sector-led Enterprise and Funding Discussion board to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Go to”.
He disclosed that the occasion cited by the newspaper report ” is being put collectively by the Nigerian Affiliation of Chambers of Commerce, Business, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Business, the place enterprise folks from Nigeria will interact their counterparts from Qatar on industrial and funding alternatives out there in each international locations.
In line with him” We word the sturdy bilateral relationship between our two international locations and affirm that the State Go to by President Bola Tinubu to Qatar is on the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
“The State Go to is especially aimed toward strengthening the bilateral financial cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
“NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Business are collaborating to reap the benefits of President Tinubu’s go to to Doha to mobilise the enterprise group from our two international locations to discover alternatives in key financial sectors equivalent to oil & fuel, manufacturing, agro-business, development, actual property, ICT, Renewable Power, Stable Minerals and repair sector, amongst others.”
He burdened additional that President Tinubu is anticipated to proceed to Qatar on the State Go to as scheduled and in the course of the go to, the Nigerian chief will interact in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari chief on many necessary issues, overlaying the complete vary of diplomatic and financial points.
“It isn’t appropriate for anybody to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian chief over a enterprise and funding discussion board which is tangential to the all-important State Go to and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a visitor.
“President Tinubu and His Highness Al-Thani are each dedicated to sustaining and constructing on the prevailing cordial and particular relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.”
