President Goodluck Jonathan will on Wednesday November 23rd begin a three-day official visit to France for a series of meetings of the Honourary International Investor Council, HIIC, from November 23 – 25, 2011.
President Jonathan chairs the HIIC, which works with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council and has the responsibility to take practical steps for attracting foreign direct investment into Nigeria, while Baroness Lynda Chalker is Coordinator of the Council. Members of the Council are top-level international and local personalities who can authorize or influence investment decisions of companies and countries.
On the first day of the visit, President Jonathan will attend a reception for African Ambassadors, organized by the Nigerian Embassy in Paris.
On the second day, after President Jonathan’s opening remarks, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, and the Central Bank Governor, Mal. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi will brief investors on the ‘Economic Environment of Nigeria’, while the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, will present a paper titled, ‘Increasing Foreign Direct Investment and Enhancing Nigeria’s Competitiveness’.
During the afternoon session, Prof. Bart Nnaji, Minister of Power, will present a report on, ‘Progress in the Power Sector’, while the theme: ‘Internal Security Issues – Realistic Options’, will be addressed by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Comrade Abba Moro, Minister of Interior, and Gen. Andrew Azazi, National Security Adviser.
The third day of the visit will begin with a presentation titled, ‘Agriculture and the Transformation Agenda’ by Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; while Mal. Mansur Ahmed, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Council, will deliver a paper on, ‘Driving Investment into Infrastructure Development.
Before his return to Abuja, President Jonathan will be hosted to lunch by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Members of the delegation include Governors Kashim Shettima, Murtala Nyako, and Peter Obi of Borno, Adamawa and Anambra States respectively, and Sen. Esther Nenadi Usman, Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Mbadiwe, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment, and Princess Stella Oduah, Minister of Aviation.
Other Ministers accompanying the President are Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina – Agriculture, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala – Finance, Comrade Abba Moro – Interior, Prof. Bart Nnaji – Power, and Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke – Petroleum. Engr. Mustapha Bello, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council and Mal. Mansur Ahmed, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission will also attend the meetings.
Some of the members of the HIIC expected to attend the meetings include Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zafar Siddiqi of CNBC Arabia, Malcolm Brinded of Shell, Lakshimi Mittal of Arcelor Mittal, Hidekazu Fajioka of Mitsubishi Corporation, Olivier Suinat of Hewlett Packard and Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Others are Sheikh Khalid Alireza of Xenel Group of Saudi Arabia, Yves-Louis Darricarrere of Total, Neil Harvey of Credit Suisse, Femi Otedola of Zennon Petroleum and Gas and Pietro Franco Tali of Saipem.