President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja for Addis Ababa , Ethiopia on Thursday 16th February 2023 to participate in the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President will participate in three High Level meetings on peace and security, climate change and the political situation in some West African countries.
First is the Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting of Heads of State and Government on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (AUPSC High Level AU), to be chaired by the President of South Africa, in his capacity as the Chair of the Council for the month of February.
Second is the meeting of the Committee of the Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), currently chaired by the President of Niger Republic.
The theme of the AU Summit is ‘‘Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Implementation.’’
On the margins of the annual meetings of the AU, President Buhari will also attend an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
The Nigerian leader will deliver remarks at these events, as well as present his National Statement at the opening session of the Summit, which brings together leaders from the AU member countries, as well as a number of non-AU countries and international institutions accredited to the AU in Addis Ababa.
President Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by some Ministers and other top government officials. He will return to Abuja on Monday, February 20.
