Buhari embarks on State visit to Spain

By Egena Sunday Ode 

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday, May 31, departs Abuja for Madrid, Spain on a State visit at the invitation of the Spanish President, Pedro Sanchez.

At a separate meeting during the visit, the first by the Nigerian leader, President Buhari will also meet with the Head of State of the Spanish nation, His Majesty King Felipe VI, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina disclosed in a statement on Tuesday.

During his engagements with both leaders, the Nigerian President will discuss issues of mutual interest to both countries, which will expectedly result in the signing of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding on a wide range of topics geared towards further enhancing the bilateral relations between the two nations, the statement noted.

Such areas, according to the statement, included: Extradition and transfer of convicted persons, Mutual Legal Assistance, Cultural Matters, Cooperation towards fighting crime and enhancing security, as well as issues affecting dependants of diplomatic staff. 

Also on the agenda are Cooperation on Energy, Trade and Investment, Transportation, Public Health and Sports Development. 

The President will also be the Special Guest at an Investment Forum jointly organized by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Trade, and the Confederation of Employers (CEOE) where he will speak to the gathering of top members of the Spanish business community and their Nigerian counterparts on the investment opportunities in Nigeria and ways of expanding the volume of trade as well as further collaborating for the development of the economies of both countries, the statement said. 

President Buhari will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola;  Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare; and the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora. 

Other members of the delegation are the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd);  Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.