By Adekunle Peters/Lagos
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government.
The President who arrived Thursday night, was received at the airport by the Ethiopian Deputy Chief of Protocol, Eshetu Legesse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and the charge d’affaires of the Nigerian embassy in Ethiopia, Ambassador Nasir Aminu.
He was later briefed Ambassador Tuggar about the summit and some diplomatic wins for the country, a session that lasted till the early hours of Friday.
Among the wins was the re-election of Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Nigeria also retains its seat on the African Union Peace and Security Council, reaffirming, in the words of Ambassador Tuggar, “Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to peace and security on the continent”.
Also at the briefing were the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Trade and Investment; Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation; Muhammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation; Balarabe Abbas Lawal Minister of Environment and Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Finance.
Others were Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, and Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff.
Tinubu will deliver a speech at the Summit-level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council, where discussions will focus on current security challenges on the continent, including the escalation of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The President who is expected back in Abuja on Monday, will participate in meetings on health financing, establishing an Africa Credit Rating Agency, and climate change.
