Despite the Qatari government’s rejection of the proposed business and investment forum trip, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has insisted on a state visit to Qatar, aiming to engage in high-level bilateral discussions on diplomatic and economic matters.
Recall that the Qatari government declined a proposed business and investment forum trip by Chief Bola Tinubu, as revealed in a letter from the Embassy of the State of Qatar dated February 22, 2024.
The rejected visit, originally scheduled for March 2 and 3, was communicated to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria.
Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry attributed the rejection to the absence of a signed agreement between Qatar and Nigeria on investment promotion and protection.
The letter also mentioned the Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry’s official commitments outside the country during the proposed visit period and the hosting of a web summit by the State of Qatar.
The rejected business and investment forum was intended as part of Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar, aiming to foster discussions between the Nigerian and Qatari business communities.
Despite concerns of a snub, the Nigerian Presidency clarified that the leaked diplomatic correspondence pertained specifically to the investment forum and not the state visit.
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In an official statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, he highlighted that Tinubu is expected to proceed with the state visit to Qatar as planned. The visit will involve engaging in high-level bilateral discussions on both diplomatic and economic matters.
Onanuga stated, “The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub of Tinubu by the Qatari government.
“Tinubu is expected to proceed to Qatar on the State Visit as scheduled and during the visit, the Nigerian leader will engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leader on many important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues.
“It is not correct for anyone to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum which is tangential to the all-important State Visit and which Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest,” he added.
