President Muhammadu Buhari has left Abuja for Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the 26th Conference of Parties, COP26, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC.
The President is scheduled to deliver his national statement at the High-Level segment for Heads of State and Governments at the conference on Tuesday, November 2nd.
His address is expected to highlight Nigeria’s key priorities and action to tackle climate change, as well as progress on the country’s transition to low carbon economy, consistent with achieving the Paris Climate Agreement.
The conference, hosted by the United Kingdom in partnership with Italy, will bring parties together to help accelerate action towards the Paris Agreement, as well as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Given Nigeria’s leading role in taking climate action and as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, COP 26 will afford a unique opportunity for the Nigerian delegation to work with other parties to make progress on the main goals of the conference.
These include securing global net-zero by mid-century and keeping 1.5C within reach, adapting to protect communities and natural habitats and mobilising the much needed finances to meet the set targets.
In Glasgow, President Buhari will participate in some side-line events hosted by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The President will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State, Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, National Security Adviser, retired Major General Babagana Monguno and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, says President Buhari will thereafter travel to Paris, France, on an official visit to reciprocate an earlier one to Nigeria by the French President, Emmanuel Macron.
It says the President will and attend the Paris Peace forum 2021, the fourth edition to be hosted by the French President.
The Peace Forum will have Heads of State and Government and CEOs of major multinationals, as well as several civil society actors, gathering to advance concrete solutions to the enormous challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and to improve global governance in times of Covid-19.
The Summit will focus on spurring a more solid and inclusive recovery by addressing the various gaps in global governance, offering initiatives to better tend to the global commons, and putting forward new principles of action for the post-Covid world.
The statement says the Nigerian government will organise the Nigeria-Paris Forum, which is expected to pull a crowd of Nigerian and French investors, government and business leaders, diplomats and the media in the hope of showcasing opportunities on both sides as well as bringing enlightenment to bear on the prevailing security, economic and investment climate in Nigeria.
According to the statement, President Buhari is expected back to Nigeria after the engagements.
PR/Abdullah Bello