Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs yesterday acknowledged that the go to of President Bola Tinubu to Qatar would go forward as scheduled, dismissing a leaked letter rejecting Nigeria’s request for a enterprise and funding discussion board with Qatar throughout the interval of the go to.
In a leaked letter, the Authorities of the State of Qatar had declined a proposal by the Nigerian authorities for a joint enterprise and funding discussion board throughout Tinubu’s deliberate state go to to the nation in March 2024.
The Presidency has nonetheless insisted that the leaked diplomatic paper was the work of mischief makers and that the Qatari authorities didn’t snub President Tinubu.
On its half, the Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs, in an announcement by its spokesperson, Fransisca Omayuli, stated it was “conscious of the circulation of a diplomatic correspondence on social media and desires to state that it’ll not touch upon leaks.”
“The Ministry of Overseas Affairs needs to tell you that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) will embark on a State Go to to Qatar from 2nd – Third March 2024 to additional cement the superb relations current between the 2 nations.
“Through the go to, discussions will likely be held on the highest degree, on a variety of bilateral and financial points,” the assertion added.
In a separate assertion by the Particular Adviser to the President on Data and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency acknowledged that the Qatari authorities didn’t snub Tinubu.
Onanuga, within the assertion, stated: “The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an funding discussion board is just not in any manner a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari authorities.”
He famous that: “The Observe 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.
“The occasion is being put collectively by the Nigerian Affiliation of Chambers of Commerce, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Trade the place enterprise individuals from Nigeria will have interaction their counterparts from Qatar on industrial and funding alternatives out there in each nations.
“We observe the sturdy bilateral relationship between our two nations 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.”
Onanuga added that: “The State Go to is especially geared toward strengthening the bilateral financial cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
He additional revealed that President Tinubu is anticipated to proceed to Qatar on the state go to as scheduled and throughout the go to, the Nigerian chief would have interaction in high-level bilateral discussions with the Qatari chief on many necessary issues, masking the total vary of diplomatic and financial points.
He insisted: “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.”
Tinubu, in response to a letter from the Embassy of Qatar in Abuja to the Protocol Division of the Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs, dated February 22, 2024, deliberate to go to Qatar between March 2 and March 3 and had requested a enterprise and financial roundtable with the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Trade.
However in its response, the Embassy of Qatar, on behalf of the nation’s Ministry of Commerce, declined the supply to carry any enterprise and funding discussion board with Nigeria on the margins of Tinubu’s go to on March 2, saying there isn’t any settlement between each nations on funding promotion and safety.
The letter additionally stated the Qatari Minister of Commerce and Trade can be on official missions outdoors the nation whereas the nation would even be internet hosting a Internet Summit throughout the interval of Tinubu’s deliberate go to.
The letter learn partly: “The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Protocol Division of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Relating to the upcoming State go to of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Qatar from 2nd-Third March 2024 and as regards to your Observe: Ref: ME.631 2024 dated 12/02/2024, which proposed the holding of a Enterprise and Funding Discussion board (BIF) on the margins of Mr. President’s go to to Qatar on 2nd March 2024.
“The Embassy has the honour to tell that the Ministry of Commerce and Trade in Qatar apologises that it will be unable to carry a Enterprise and Funding Discussion board as proposed by the Nigerian facet as a result of following causes: “Sadly, there isn’t any any settlement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Funding Promotion and Safety.
“His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Trade will likely be finishing up official missions outdoors the nation throughout the upcoming go to interval.
“The State of Qatar will likely be internet hosting a Internet Summit throughout the recommended interval and the State’s authorities will likely be preoccupied with this occasion.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar avails itself of this chance to resume to the Protocol Division of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the assurances of its highest consideration,” the letter defined.
