President Bola Tinubu has appointed Vice-President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled to take place in Apia, Samoa.
The announcement was made by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, in a statement released on Sunday.
The summit, set for October 21 to 26, will bring together leaders from the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth, including King Charles of England.
The theme for this year’s meeting is “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Commonwealth,” with discussions centered on building resilience, unlocking potential, and fostering a digitally connected Commonwealth.
Vice-President Shettima will join other global leaders in addressing critical issues such as the global economy, environmental sustainability, and security challenges.
The summit aims to explore ways in which Commonwealth nations can collaborate to enhance trade, drive innovation, and promote growth, while empowering the 1.5 billion young people across member countries for a peaceful and sustainable future.
A key agenda item for the 2024 CHOGM will be the election of the next Commonwealth Secretary-General. Following the regional rotation principle, the new leader will be selected from Africa, with candidates from Lesotho, Ghana, and The Gambia in the race.
Nigeria, as the largest African member of the Commonwealth, is expected to play a significant role in this decision.
In addition to attending key forums like the Commonwealth Business Forum and the People’s Forum, Vice-President Shettima will hold bilateral meetings with global leaders and engage in efforts to attract foreign investors to Nigeria.
His participation will focus on building on the progress achieved during the 2022 CHOGM and fostering cooperation for the development of member states.
