US deputy secretary of state, Antony Blinken, will lead the US delegation to the second regional security summit and bilateral meetings in Abuja, which will hold from May 12 to 14.
Blinken will be joined in Abuja by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who is US assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, and Justin Siberell, the acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism.
“At the summit, Blinken will deliver the US national statement and meet with senior leaders to discuss efforts aimed at supporting Nigeria and the other Lake Chad Basin countries in the fight against Boko Haram,” the US embassy in Abuja confirmed in a statement.
Participants expected at the event include heads of state from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and France.
The Deputy Secretary of State will also review the progress Nigerian leaders have made so far and commitments made during the bi-national commission meeting in Washington DC on March 30, 2016.
The top American diplomat will end the summit in a meeting with innovators and entrepreneurs to discuss how transformation in science and technology in West Africa can shape and promote the advancement of economic opportunity.
The ongoing fight against corruption will also be discussed with civil society leaders.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
