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Hours after Kuje prison and Presidential convoy attack, Buhari leaves for Senegal

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Wednesday depart Abuja for Dakar, the Senegalese capital to participate in the International Development Association for Africa Summit.

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The trip comes barely 24 hours after a convoy of cars carrying the Advance Team of security guards, protocol and media officers ahead of the President’s trip to Daura for Sallah, came under terrorist attack.

According to a statement signed on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President is expected to join other African leaders in an open Dialogue on Development Challenges and priorities as well as transformational initiatives that will lead to an outcome document, the Dakar Declaration.

The statement is titled ‘President Buhari to attend international development association for Africa summit in Dakar.’

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It read in part, “An institution of the World Bank Group, IDA is deepening its support to drive a resilient recovery for countries hit by the global crises of climate and COVID -19, growing levels of insecurity and more recently, by the impact of the war in Ukraine through its historic $93 billion 20th replenishment cycle which goes into effect between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2025.

“At the High-Level event slated for Thursday, July 7, and hosted by President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal, President Buhari is expected to join other African leaders in an open Dialogue on Development Challenges and priorities as well as transformational initiatives that will lead to an outcome document, the Dakar Declaration.

“​This commitment is expected to chart the way forward for the transformation of the economies of these nations in partnership with the World Bank/IDA.”

Topics slated for discussion include: Financing for Recovery and Economic Transformation in Africa; Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security; Human Capital; Digital and Technological Innovation; and Energy Transition and Climate Change.

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The President will be accompanied on the trip by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama; Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; as well as Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo.

Others in the entourage are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar; Director-General, Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha; and the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Olukayode Pitan.

Buhari is expected back in the country at the end of the Summit on Thursday, July 7.

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(Punch)