Tinubu in Brazil for 17th BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the 17th BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said this in  a statement.

Touching down at the Galeão Air Force Base at 8.45pm on Friday, Tinubu was welcomed with a Guard of Honour, led by the Commander of the base. He was also received by Brazil’s Deputy Minister for Africa and the Middle East, Ambassador Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte, along with the Deputy Minister for Trade Promotion, Science, Technology, Innovation, and Culture.

Tinubu is attending the summit at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with him July 5 (today), ahead of the main summit events on July 6 and 7.

During the summit, Tinubu will deliver a keynote address at the plenary session, where he will outline Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms aimed at enhancing global competitiveness. He is also expected to promote investment opportunities in key sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals, healthcare, and alternative energy.

This year’s BRICS summit is with the theme, ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.’

According to Onanuga, discussions will centre on critical global issues, including healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, climate change, and inclusive governance.

He added, “In the lead-up to the summit, BRICS negotiators have been working on commitments to tackle challenges like socially determined diseases, AI regulation, and climate finance, with a focus on the unique structural problems facing nations of the Global South.”

Tinubu is accompanied by five Nigerian state governors: Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Prince Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), among others.