President Bola Tinubu is set to depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a diplomatic mission to Japan and Brazil, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
In a statement on Wednesday, Onanuga said the President will first head to Yokohama, Japan, to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) from August 20 to 22.
“President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil. The President will stop over in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before proceeding to Japan,” Onanuga said.
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With the theme “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” TICAD9 will focus on driving Africa’s economic transformation, improving business environments and institutions through private sector investment and innovation, and building resilient, sustainable African societies that promote human security, peace, and stability.
Onanuga noted that Tinubu will not only take part in the plenary sessions but will also engage in bilateral talks and meet chief executives of Japanese firms with existing investments in Nigeria.
“In Japan, President Tinubu will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in the City of Yokohama from August 20 to 22,” the statement read.
“In addition to attending plenary sessions on themes linked to the conference, the Nigerian President will hold bilateral meetings and meet the chief executive officers of some Japanese companies with investments in Nigeria.”
TICAD, initiated in 1993 by the Japanese government and co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, African Union Commission, and the World Bank, serves as a platform for high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners.
The last edition was held in Tunisia in August 2022.Following the conference, President Tinubu will fly to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, for a two-day state visit from Sunday, August 24, to Monday, August 25, at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“At the end of the TICAD9, President Tinubu will leave for Brasilia, the capital of the Federative Republic of Brazil, on a two-day state visit from Sunday, August 24, to Monday, August 25.
While in Brazil, President Tinubu will hold a bilateral meeting with his host and attend a business forum with Brazilian investors,” Onanuga said.
The presidential entourage will include key ministers and senior government officials tasked with exploring new avenues for cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil, as well as signing agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Brazilian government.
