…Nigeria sends foreign ministry delegation
From Ikenna Emewu in Beijing
As at yesterday, 29 presidents and heads of government had arrived Beijing, China’s capital city, for the Belt and Road Forum for international cooperation.
The belt and road initiative (bri) is an economic, political and cultural integration initiative the chinese government created in september 2013 to provide alternative cooperation platform for world economic deliberations. Chinese president xi Jinping had announced at the end of last year that about 60 countries had subscribed to the platform, making it the largest economic integration body outside the world bank and imf as it cuts across all continents and regional blocs.
Among the expected countries is Nigeria, which Sunday Sun gathered would be represented by a delegation that would be led by the Permanent Secretary in the foreign ministry.
Also, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed yesterday evening that some G7 countries like South Korea and U.S. Would send delegates to the forum. Others among the top economies sending delegates are the governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and also the European Union (EU).
Other countries slated for the conference include Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, the au Commission, Turkey, Singapore, Greece, Mexico, Brazil, Surinam, Greece, Russia, Spain, Malaysia, Indonesia, Uzbekistan and Poland, among others. As President xi received the heads of governments, he pledged that China would compensate for their support for the initiative with what he called heavy investment in their economies.