VP Osinbajo to lead delegates to AU summit in Kigali

Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 27th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) from Saturday to July 18, in Kigali, Rwanda.

Onyeama stated this on Monday at a pre-AU session news briefing in Abuja.

He said that the occasion would afford Nigeria the opportunity to showcase the successes recorded by the current administration.

The minister said that at the summit would also provide an opportunity for critical appraisal of the 20 billion dollar Nigeria-Algeria trans-Saharan gas pipeline project under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when completed, the trans-Saharan project would transport about 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Warri through the Niger Republic to Algeria.

The pipeline would be operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Sonatrach of Algeria.

Both parties will hold 90 per cent shares of equities of the project, while the National Oil Company of Niger Republic will hold 10 per cent equity

According to Onyema, the Nigeria-Algeria gas pipeline is a major project of NEPAD that the summit will give attention this year.

He said that the summit with “African Year of Human Right” as the theme would focus on women, adding that Nigeria was expected to share experience on the efforts on women empowerment.

“Nigeria will be letting other African countries know what we are doing to promote human rights, including steps taken to extend and uphold human right while dealing with a tumour in the country.

“The occasion will permit Nigeria the opportunity to showcase the successes recorded by this current administration in the area of human rights enthronement.

“As part of measures at enthroning human rights in the country particularly in the North-East, the administration has taken steps to de-militarize the zone as well as investigating and punishing reported cases of abuse,” he said.

The minister added that the summit would also focus on the full integration of the continent through the establishment of Free Trade Area and the African Union passport.

He described the adoption of AU’s passport, which would be issued to Heads of States and Governments of the African Union at the summit as a “major step towards trade liberalization in Africa’’.

While noting that 10 percent of trade in Africa was among African countries, he said that with AU passport coming into operation, it would be easier for member-countries to do business with each other.