Qatar’s Embassy in Abuja conveyed the rejection of President Bola Tinubu’s planned business and investment forum trip to the Arab country in a letter dated February 22, 2024.
Addressed to the Protocol Department of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the letter explained that the visit, scheduled for March 2 and 3, 2024, was declined.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar issued an apology for turning down the proposed business visit in a letter received by the Nigerian ministry on February 23, 2024, and seen by our correspondent on Saturday.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Regarding the upcoming state visit of H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Qatar from March 2 and 3, 2024 and with reference to your note: Ref: ME.631 2024 dated 12/02/2024, which proposed the holding of a business and investment forum on the margins of Mr President’s visit to Qatar on March 2, 2024.
“The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologises that it will not be able to hold a business and investment forum as proposed by the Nigerian side.”
The embassy clarified that “there is no 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.”
Contrary to reports, the Presidency clarified that the Qatari government did not snub Tinubu.
It emphasized that the failed investment forum between the Nigerian and Qatari business communities was just one of several events planned ahead of the president’s state visit to the Gulf country.
A statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday emphasized, “It is not correct for anyone to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum that is tangential to the all-important state visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest.”
In a statement titled, ‘President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar,’ Onanuga responded to a leaked note between the foreign ministries of both countries.
He clarified that Tinubu was expected to proceed with the state visit to Qatar as scheduled. During the visit, the Nigerian leader would engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leaders on various important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues.
The Presidency acknowledged, “We are aware of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar between March 2 and 3, 2024.”
“The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub of President Tinubu by the Qatari government.”