Buhari set for state visit to Spain Tuesday

By ISMAILA CHAFE

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday depart Abuja for Madrid, Spain on a State Visit at the invitation of the Spanish President, Pedro Sanchez.

The president’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to Adesina, at a separate meeting during the visit, the first by the Nigerian leader, Buhari will also meet with the Head of State of the Spanish nation, His Majesty King Felipe VI.

“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.

“Such areas include: 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,” he said.

The presidential aide revealed that the president would 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).

The Nigerian leader will be speaking 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.

Adesina said Buhari would be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo.

Others on the President’s entourage are; 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.

The National Security Adviser, retired Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i; and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa are also on the President’s entourage

The President is expected back in the country on Friday.

The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria and Spain established relations over the last 25 years.

The volume of trade between Nigeria and Spain stood at seven billion euro in 2012, the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Alvaro Aguilar. (NAN)