President Bola Tinubu has tasked Vice President Kashim Shettima to leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, on Sunday. The statement, titled *‘VP Shettima to represent President Tinubu at CHOGM 2024,’* confirmed Shettima’s attendance at the summit.
“VP Shettima will join King Charles of England and other world leaders from 56 member countries at the first CHOGM to be held in the Pacific island of Apia, Samoa, from October 21 to 26,” Nkwocha said.
The summit will focus on the theme *‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth,’* aiming to saddle the collective strengths of member nations through resilience, leveraging the ‘Commonwealth Advantage,’ and fostering a more connected and digital Commonwealth.
During the meeting, Nigeria, alongside other member states, will elect and appoint the next Commonwealth Secretary-General. According to the Agreed Memorandum on the Commonwealth Secretariat’s establishment and functions (revised 2022) and the principle of regional rotation, the next Secretary-General will be selected from Africa. Candidates for the role are from Lesotho, Ghana, and The Gambia, with Nigeria expected to play a significant role as the largest African member.
Building on progress made during CHOGM 2022, Shettima and other leaders will also address global economic, environmental, and security challenges. Discussions will focus on how Commonwealth nations can collaborate to bolster resilience, stimulate trade, promote innovation, and empower the 1.5 billion young people in the Commonwealth for a more peaceful and sustainable future.
The Vice President is also expected to utilize the Commonwealth Business Forum to attract international investors to Nigeria, as industry experts from across the globe gather to propose solutions to pressing global challenges.
Additionally, Shettima will participate in the Commonwealth People’s Forum, the largest platform for citizen engagement on development issues. He will also hold bilateral meetings and attend other executive sessions.
This trip will mark Shettima’s 12th international visit, covering 11 foreign destinations. To date, he has spent 56 days abroad, visiting countries such as Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China, the U.S., Switzerland, Ivory Coast (twice), Kenya, and Sweden, logging over 93 flight hours
