The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has debunked reports making rounds that Qatari authorities rejected President Bola Tinubu’s offer to visit the Arabian country.
Dismissing the report on Saturday evening, the minister said Tinubu will visit both Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, on March 2nd and 3rd.
The statement which was signed by Francisca K. Omayuli came as a reaction to a memo circulating online that Qatar said it was not ready to hold a proposed business meeting with Nigeria.
The memo stated, “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 2nd – 3rd March 2024 and with reference to your Note which proposed holding of a Business and Investment Forum (BIF)… 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 Nigerian side due to the following reasons:
“Unfortunately, there is no any agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection…His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Industry will be carrying out official missions outside the country during the upcoming visit period…The State of Qatar will be hosting a Web Summit during the suggested period and the State’s authorities will be preoccupied with this event.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the assurances of its highest consideration.”
But in a statement to counter the online letter, Tuggar confirmed that Tinubu will visit Qatar, adding that the meeting aims to strengthen diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Qatar.
The statement read, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms State/Official Visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Qatar on 2-3 March, excellent relations between Federal Republic of Nigeria and the and the State of Qatar.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the forthcoming visit by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the State of Qatar on 2-3 March, as scheduled. The visit will include bilateral discussions at the highest level across the a full range of strategic, diplomatic and economic issues.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State of Qatar have a long history of friendship and close bilateral relations. The forthcoming visit to Doha by HE President Tinubu will help build on this important relationship.
The Ministry is aware of the circulation in the media of diplomatic correspondence and wishes to confirm that it will not comment on leaks.”