Shettima Leaves for Johannesburg to Represent Nigeria at 15th BRICS Summit

* 73 world leaders including UN scribe billed to grace event

* VP due back in Abuja weekend 

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Johannesburg, South Africa to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 15th BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government.

Shettima, according to a release issued by the Director of Information in the office of the Vice-President, Olusola Abiola, will be joining other business and political leaders across the world at the summit scheduled for the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg from August 22 to 24.

Notable leaders expected to attend the event include South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa; President Xi Jinping of China; Brazil’s President, Luiz Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Seventy-three dignitaries, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the chairperson of the African Union Commission and President of the New Development Bank have also been invited.

The summit is expected to deliberate on issues on trade and investment facilitation, sustainable development, innovation and global governance reform. 

It will also continue its outreach to leaders from Africa and the global South; as it focuses on global geopolitics, trade and infrastructure development.

BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is a group of five major emerging and developing economies.

The BRICS group accounts for more than 42% of the world population, 30% of the world’s territory, 23% of the global economy and 18% of global trade. 

One of its founding values is shared commitment to restructure the global political, economic and financial architecture to be fair, balanced and representative resting on pillars of multilateralism and international law.

Vice President Shettima is accompanied on the trip by some senior government officials and he is expected back in the country at the end of the week.