The Presidency has dismissed reports that Qatari authorities had stopped the scheduled state visit by President Bola Tinubu to the Gulf State.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, was reacting to a leaked memo indicating that the Qatari authorities have rejected the president’s visit to the country.
Onanuga said the president would visit the country between March 2 and March 4 on a state visit particularly aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.
He noted that the leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari government.
“The Note Verbale is about a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Visit.
“The event is being put together by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Qatar’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry where business people from Nigeria will engage their counterparts from Qatar on commercial and investment opportunities available in both countries.
“President Tinubu is expected to proceed to Qatar on the State Visit as scheduled and during the visit, the Nigerian leader will engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leader on many important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues,” he said.
He assured that President Tinubu and the Emir of Qatar, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani are both committed to maintaining and building on the existing cordial and special relationship between Nigeria and the State of Qatar.
He condemned insinuation in some quarters that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum, which he noted was tangential to the State Visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest.
“We note the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries and affirm that the State Visit by President Bola Tinubu to Qatar is on the invitation of Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
“NACCIMA and Qatar Chambers of Commerce and Industry are collaborating to take advantage of President Tinubu’s visit to Doha to mobilise the business community from our two countries to explore opportunities in key economic sectors such as oil & gas, manufacturing, agro-business, construction, real estate, ICT, Renewable Energy, Solid Minerals and service sector, among others,” he said.
