Again, Buhari leaves for Portugal on state visit, UN ocean conference

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday departed Abuja on a state visit to Portugal.

The presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a statement said Buhari was invited by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal.

He said the president will be conferred with the country’s national honour and decorated with the ‘Great Collar of the Order of Prince Henry.’

The statement reads, “The two presidents are expected to chair an enlarged bilateral meeting and witness the signing of some agreements bordering on issues of mutual concern.”

Buhari will also visit the Portuguese parliament and hold discussions with its president, Dr Augusto Santo Silva, as well as the Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa.

“In the course of the visit, the president is scheduled to address a Forum of Nigerian and Portuguese businessmen and hold separate meetings with select Portuguese Chief Executive Officers and prospective investors to Nigeria.

“President Buhari will also participate in the United Nations Ocean Conference, which began in Lisbon on June 27, and runs till July 1.”

According to Shehu, the conference is being co-hosted by the governments of Kenya and Portugal and supported by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

The conference aims to accelerate the adoption of science-based innovative solutions to challenges facing oceans and the global marine ecosystem.

He added that Buhari is also expected to engage members of the Nigerian community in Portugal on matters affecting them and developments at home.

Shehu said the president would be accompanied by Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs; Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture; Adeniyi Adebayo, minister of industry, trade and investment; Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports; and Isa Pantami, minister of communication and digital economy.

Others are Babagana Monguno, national security adviser; Ahmed Abubakar, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM),

The president is expected to return to Abuja on July 2.