The federal government has insisted on a business and investment forum trip to the state of Qatar despite a rejection from the Arab country.
The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja, in a letter dated February 22, 2024, and addressed to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria, said the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologized for the rejection of the proposed business visit.
The embassy explained that “there is no agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on investment promotion and protection.
Reacting to this, the Presidency claimed Nigeria was not snubbed by Qatar, adding that the botched investment forum between the Nigerian and Qatari business communities was only one of several events lined up ahead of the President’s state visit to the Gulf country.
Onanuga, in a statement titled, ‘President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar,’ said President Tinubu was expected to proceed to Qatar on the state visit as scheduled and during the visit, the Nigerian leader would engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leader on many important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“Regarding the upcoming state visit of H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Qatar from March 2 and 3, 2024, and with reference to your note: Ref: ME.631 2024 dated 12/02/2024, which proposed the holding of a business and investment forum on the margins of Mr President’s visit to Qatar on March 2, 2024.”
“The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologizes that it will not be able to hold a business and investment forum as proposed by the Nigerian side,” part of the letter read.
The visit of the President to Qatar was scheduled for March 2 and 3, 2024.
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