Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to depart from Abuja today to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).
The three-day summit, with the theme “Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation,” will provide an opportunity for African leaders to discuss strategies for boosting intra-African trade.
According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari will participate in three high-level meetings while in Addis Ababa. The first meeting is the Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, to be chaired by the President of South Africa.
The second meeting will focus on climate change, while the third will center on the political situation in some West African countries. The President will also attend an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on the sidelines of the Summit.
The AfCFTA aims to create a single market for goods and services across the African continent. The agreement is expected to facilitate the movement of people, capital, and goods, promoting economic growth and regional integration. With 54 African countries signing the agreement, the AfCFTA is considered the world’s largest free trade area by the number of participating countries.
The Summit will also provide an opportunity to address security challenges in the region. The African Union is committed to promoting peace and stability on the continent, and with conflicts in some countries, the Summit will provide a platform for leaders to discuss strategies for resolving these issues.
President Buhari’s participation in the Summit shows Nigeria’s commitment to regional integration and economic growth. Nigeria, as the largest economy in Africa, is expected to play a leading role in the implementation of the AfCFTA. The Summit will provide an opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its potential and explore opportunities for trade and investment.
