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The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu will proceed on a state visit to Qatar on March 2-3 as scheduled.
The confirmation became necessary following reports making the rounds on social media claiming that the Qatari authorities rejected Tinubu's request to visit the Arabian peninsula.
The leaked memo trending online showed the response of the Qatari Embassy in Nigeria to a request for a Business and Investment Forum (BIF) on the margins of Tinubu's visit made by the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
As detailed in the memo, the Arabian country rejected the proposed business parley, on the excuse that, among others, the two countries had no existing agreement on investment promotion and protection.
"The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologizes that it will not be able to hold a Business and Investment Forum as proposed by Nigerian side due to the following reasons:
“Unfortunately, there is no any agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection…His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Industry will be carrying out official missions outside the country during the upcoming visit period…The State of Qatar will be hosting a Web Summit during the suggested period and the State’s authorities will be preoccupied with this event.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the assurances of its highest consideration,” the memo partly read.
However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, in a statement late Saturday, February 24, 20024, confirmed that Tinubu will visit Qatar.
While dismissing the insinuations on social media, the minister reiterated that the two countries have excellent relations.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms State/Official Visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Qatar on 2-3 March, excellent relations between Federal Republic of Nigeria and the and the State of Qatar.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the forthcoming visit by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the State of Qatar on 2-3 March, as scheduled. The visit will include bilateral discussions at the highest level across the a full range of strategic, diplomatic and economic issues.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State of Qatar have a long history of friendship and close bilateral relations. The forthcoming visit to Doha by HE President Tinubu will help build on this important relationship.”
“The Ministry is aware of the circulation in the media of diplomatic correspondence and wishes to confirm that it will not comment on leaks,” the statement read.