The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has been designated to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. This change comes after Vice President Kashim Shettima, originally slated to attend, encountered technical issues with his aircraft, necessitating a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet.
According to a statement issued by Shettima’s spokesperson, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, titled ‘Minister of Foreign Affairs To Now Represent President Tinubu at US-Africa Summit,’ Vice President Shettima has returned to Abuja and will resume his other national duties.
The summit, set to take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will gather political and business leaders from Africa, the United States, and beyond. Hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa, it will feature high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries.
Among the African leaders expected at the summit are Presidents Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Joao Lourenço of Angola, Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi of Botswana, José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho, Nthomeng Majara.
The US-Africa Business Summit aims to promote economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African nations. Minister Tuggar is scheduled to participate in various sessions, including a Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment, a high-level panel on agribusiness, and a plenary session on navigating Africa’s energy future. Additionally, he will chair a session dedicated to promoting the ‘invest in Nigeria’ initiative and engage in other meetings and engagements on the summit’s sidelines.