Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with President Donald Trump of United States of America, Monday, will focus on 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.
Buhari leaves Abuja today for the United States of America, on the invitation of President Donald Trump.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement said, 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.
Buhari is also scheduled to meet with a group of business persons in agriculture and agro-processing, dairy and animal husbandry, later the same day.
The presidential spokesman said, ahead of the visit, that already meetings have been scheduled on Thursday and Friday, between senior Nigerian government officials and executives of major US companies in the areas of agriculture, aviation and transportation.
“In the area of aviation, 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.
“In the area of 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 finalised to provide the consortium the opportunity to invest an estimated $2 billion, 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 Nigerian officials will also meet with US-EXIM Bank and the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation to explore competitive financing arrangements.
“It is noteworthy that in 2017, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the United States Department of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote and encourage commercial and investment ties between Nigeria and the United States, with initial focus on infrastructure, agriculture, digital economy, investment and regulatory reforms,” the statement read.