Shettima Departs Abuja, To Represent Tinubu At UN, Russia-Africa Summits

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not be attending the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit in Rome as well as the Russia-Africa Summit.

Instead, Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent President Tinubu at the two international events, according to a statement released on Sunday by his spokesman, Olusola Abiola.

The statement said Shettima is scheduled to depart Abuja on Sunday for the two major international Summits in Rome, Italy and St Petersburg, Russia.

At the Rome event, the Vice President will join other global leaders for the first Stocktaking Moment (STM) Summit themed “Transforming Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity,” scheduled from Monday, 24th to Wednesday, 26th July.

During the summit, Shettima will chair a high-level session themed “Innovative Financing for Food System Transformation: the Case of Nigeria” and the side event on “Scaling up Multi Stakeholders Collaboration and Investment in the Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria.”

The event is being organised in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and wider UN system.

Shettima will then proceed from Rome to St. Petersburg in Russia for the Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for Wednesday, July 26.

The statement reads: “While in Russia, the Vice President will join other political and business leaders at the 2nd Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum focused on strategizing to enhance relations between Russia and the African continent, among other benefits.

“Also, Vice President Shettima will participate in bilateral meetings with representatives of relevant Russian senior government officials and business leaders to discuss relations between Russia and Nigeria.”

The Vice President, who will be accompanied by senior government officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, is expected back in the country at the end of the week.