President Buhari embarks on working visit to US

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to leave Abuja on Saturday April 28, 2018, on an official working visit to the United States of America, on the invitation of President Donald Trump. Femi Adesina,Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement released on Friday.

According to him, President Buhari will have bilateral meeting with President Trump and a working lunch on Monday 30th April 2018.

“The meeting is to discuss ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries and to advance shared priorities, such as: promoting economic growth, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security.

“The meeting will further deepen the US-Nigeria relationship as the United States considers Nigeria’s economic growth, security and leadership in Africa to be critical aspects of their strategic partnership.

“Later in the day, President Buhari will meet with a group of business persons in agriculture and agro-processing, dairy and animal husbandry.

Adesina further disclosed that ahead of the visit by President Buhari, meetings have been scheduled on 26th and 27th April, 2018, between senior Nigerian Government officials and executives of major US companies in the areas of agriculture, aviation and transportation.

Speaking on the area of aviation, he said the Nigerian officials will be meeting with Boeing, the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, on the National Carrier Project.

“On agriculture, they will meet with large equipment manufacturers with focus on harvesting and post harvesting equipment.

“On transportation, the officials will meet with the GE-led consortium for the implementation of the interim phase of the narrow gauge rail concession.

“In the interim phase, a substantive concession agreement will be negotiated and finalized to provide the consortium the opportunity to invest an estimated $2bn, to modernize the rail line from Lagos to Kano (Western Line) and from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri (Eastern Line).

"During the meeting, the concession framework and the interim phase framework agreements are expected to be signed.

The President’s spokesman further disclosed that the Nigerian officials will also meet with US-EXIM Bank and the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation to explore competitive financing arrangements.

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