The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has returned to Abuja after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government and the 30th AU General Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday and Saturday.
The announcement was made by Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications.
Key Highlights from the Summit
- Shettima held a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who urged Nigeria to lead Africa’s push for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to guide the continent toward superpower status.
- On the summit platform, Shettima advocated for African health security sovereignty, calling on nations to reduce reliance on foreign aid and develop self-sufficient, homegrown health systems.
- The summit, themed “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”, focused on advancing sustainable water management, improved sanitation, and development goals outlined in the AU’s long-term Agenda 2063.
Diplomatic and Strategic Engagements
Shettima participated in high-level side events and held bilateral meetings with political and business leaders to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic partnerships across Africa. He emphasized the need to insulate African health systems from global supply chain uncertainties and shifting priorities during crises.
Shettima’s Travel Record
Since taking office, the Vice President has spent 73 days abroad, visiting 16 countries on 22 trips, covering over 79,000 kilometres (43,000 nautical miles) and 93 flight hours. His visits included:
- Europe: Rome (Italy), St. Petersburg (Russia), Davos (Switzerland, three times), Stockholm (Sweden), Baku (Azerbaijan)
- Africa: Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast, twice), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Monrovia (Liberia), Conakry (Guinea)
- Americas & Asia: Havana (Cuba), Beijing (China), Iowa and New York (USA, three times)
Shettima’s return marks the continuation of Nigeria’s active engagement in continental diplomacy and strategic partnerships.
I can also create a summary infographic showing Shettima’s 16-country travels and key diplomatic engagements if you want a visual overview.
