-To Attend OIC Conference in Cairo
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will depart Abuja Tuesday night for London and Paris to confer with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron and the French President Francois Hollande on matters of vital interest to Nigeria, Britain and France.
According to a State House release made available to the media on Tuesday afternoon, the talks with the British Prime Minister in London are expected to focus on the expansion of trade and economic relations between Nigeria and Britain, as well as the enhancement of cooperation between both countries on combating terrorism.
President Jonathan is also expected to confer with President Hollande and French government officials on the ongoing deployment of Nigerian and ECOWAS troops to Mali to support the current military action against insurgents and terrorists in the north of the country.
It is unclear if the recent furor generated over British PM Cameron’s remarks regarding oil revenue that accrued to Nigeria will feature in the talks between Mr. Jonathan and Mr. Cameron.
Mr. Cameron had said recently that Nigeria made up to 100 billion dollars in oil revenue since President Jonathan came to power – a revelation that may have unruffled the feathers of powerful interests in Nigeria’s oil business whose affairs were usually hidden from public scrutiny.
The Nigerian president will also make a stop in Cairo, Egypt, where he will be participating in the conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation scheduled to open there tomorrow.
Although Nigeria is a member of the Organization, Mr. Jonathan’s participation in the event will no doubt raise eyebrows, especially as a Christian president of a secular country who is battling security threats from violent Islamic insurgents who have demanded that he converts to Islam as part of the condition of a ceasefire.
He is also scheduled to attend the launching of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation in London on Friday.
Mr. Jonathan will be accompanied by the first lady Patience Jonathan and a number of government officials, all of whom are expected back in the country on Monday.