President Muhammadu Buhari will join 48 other African Heads of State and the Head of the African Union (AU) for a three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit, convened by President Joe Biden of the United States in Washington DC, the US capital, between 13th and 15th December 2022.
Biden, believes that US collaboration with African leaders, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders, is essential to addressing shared challenges, a statement to that effect, amplified by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard.
She stated that the goal of this historic summit would be to build and expand vital political, economic, and strategic partnerships, as well as people-to-people dialogue, based on mutual interests and shared priorities in Africa.
“The summit’s agenda will be packed, including increasing sustainable food production, strengthening health systems, providing humanitarian assistance, responding to the climate crisis, reinforcing democracy and human rights, boosting US-African trade, advancing peace and security, and even enhancing space research and cooperation.”
Leonard, added that the upcoming summit presents opportunities to deepen US-Nigeria bilateral ties on multiple levels, stressing, “we look forward not only to the Nigerian government’s robust participation in the summit, but also to hearing the views of all stakeholders in Nigeria’s promising future, including independent voices from the private sector, civil society, young people, women, and all those who are working to build a strong and inclusive democracy.”
The summit is also an opportunity for the United States and the American people to reiterate their profound and enduring interest in engaging with Africa as a whole.