President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Wednesday for Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

The event opened on June 20 and will end on June 26.

The theme for CHOGM 2022 is ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’.

Mr Buhari’s media aide Femi Adesina confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Adesina said the president would join other leaders in discussing the progress and prosperity of the over two billion people living in the 54 independent countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific that make up the Commonwealth.

“The heads of government are expected to reaffirm their commitment to upholding the Commonwealth Charter, which focuses on democracy, human rights, the rule of law, as well as economic opportunities and sustainable development,” he said.

According to him, Mr Buhari will attend the official opening ceremony on June 24, followed by high-level meetings of heads of state and government on Friday and Saturday.

“The leaders are expected to consider a range of topical issues, including post-COVID-19 economic recovery, debt sustainability, climate change, poverty reduction, youth entrepreneurship and employment, trade and food security,” the statement added. “Prior to this, the Nigerian delegation drawn from the public, private, and youth organisations participated in four forums covering youth, women, business and civil society; and will engage in ministerial meetings and several side events.”

On the margins of the meeting, Mr Buhari is scheduled to deliver remarks at the ‘High-Level Session of Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Summit’ and participate in ‘Intergenerational Dialogue for Youth’.

Mr Buhari will also hold bilateral talks with some leaders from the Commonwealth countries.

The biennial meeting was due to take place in June 2020 but was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Buhari will return to Nigeria on Sunday. 

(NAN)