Buhari Leaves for Dakar to Attend IDA Summit

*Leads eight-man Nigerian delegation 

*Due back in Abuja Thursday

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

President Muhammadu Buhari leaves Abuja today (Wednesday) to participate in the International Development Association (IDA) for Africa Summit in Dakar, Senegal.

The President’s trip is coming a day after his advance team was attacked by terrorists en route to Daura, his hometown and several hours after gunmen launched attack on Kuje Prison in Abuja, freeing no less than 600 inmates, including terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.

The president is leading an eight-man delegation made up of Ministers and other top government officials to the two-day Summit.

According to a release issued by presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, 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 on the entourage are  the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Director- General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar; Director-General, Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha;  and the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Olukayode Pitan.

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 (IDA20) 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.

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