Afrigather The Presidency has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu’s requests for a business meeting in Qatar was rejected because of absence of diplomatic relationships between each international locations.
Bayo Onanuga, the particular adviser to the President on communications and technique, in an announcement, mentioned 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 relating to 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 just isn’t in any approach a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari authorities,” Onanuga mentioned.
The leaked memo had said that “Qatar mentioned that the rejection of President Tinubu’s request for visitation for the enterprise and funding discussion board was as a result of lack of a legally binding settlement between the nation and Nigeria for the promotion of funding.
Nevertheless, 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 observe 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 mentioned.
“The nation additional burdened that its Minister of Commerce and Business, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani “shall be finishing up official missions exterior the nation through the upcoming go to interval” which makes him unavailable to satisfy with the Nigerian chief”.
However Onanuga in his response defined that ” the Observe Verbale is a couple of non-public 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 have interaction their counterparts from Qatar on business and funding alternatives obtainable in each international locations.
Based on him” We observe 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 geared toward strengthening the bilateral financial cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
“NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Business are collaborating to make the most 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 corresponding to oil & fuel, manufacturing, agro-business, development, actual property, ICT, Renewable Vitality, Strong 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 through the go to, the Nigerian chief will have interaction in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari chief on many vital issues, overlaying the complete vary of diplomatic and financial points.
“It’s not right 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 special relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.”
