Buhari departs Abuja for AU Summit in Ethiopia

President Muhammadu Buhari will today (Thursday) depart Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).

The theme of the AU Summit is ‘Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation’.

President Buhari will participate in three meetings on peace and security, climate change, and the political situation in some West African countries.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

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Shehu stated that Buhari will participate in the first meeting which is the Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (AUPSC High Level AU), noting that it would be chaired by the President of South Africa, in his capacity as the Chairman of the council for the month of February.

The presidential spokesman said the second is the meeting of the Committee of the Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), currently chaired by the President of Niger Republic.

He noted that President Buhari will also attend an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

Shehu disclosed that Buhari will deliver remarks at these events as well as present his national statement at the opening session of the Summit, which brings together leaders from the AU member countries as well as a number of non-AU countries and international institutions accredited to the AU in Addis Ababa.

He said President Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by some ministers and other top government officials.

According to him, the President will return to Abuja on Monday, February 20, 2023.

The Star