President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday, May 30th, depart Abuja to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on Friday, May 31, will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by Heads of State and Governments of Member States.
Nigeria has benefited from the OIC-funded projects, including the training and guidelines on Sukuk issuance in 2018
In 2018, the Islamic Development Bank, IDB through the Presidential Committee for the North East Initiative provided relief materials to IDPs in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Nigeria had also continued to benefit from scholarships from OIC member countries
“August 2016, the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDBG) formally opened its Nigeria Country Gateway Office in Abuja with a mission to focus its services on health, agriculture, infrastructure, small and medium-scale enterprises and regional integration
This is just as Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Mansur Mukhtar, is now serving as the Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank.
Nigeria joined the OIC in 1986 and has held various positions in the Organisation, including Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) Commissioner, Amb. M.L. Sulaiman, who was elected in 2017
According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future,” seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world.
The event will be President Buhari’s first official assignment after taking his oath of office, on Wednesday May, 29th in Abuja with the Nigerian Leader listed to present a special paper at the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism.
The President will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development.
On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern.
President Buhari, who is expected to return to the country Sunday, 2nd June, will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State.
Others include the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Isa Ali Pantami; and the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukthar.
Ahead of the Summit, a preparatory meeting was held in Jeddah to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit.
On the agenda were the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others.
President Buhari becomes the third Nigerian leader to attend the OIC conference in person, after the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
