President Bola Tinubu has appointed Vice-President Kashim Shettima to head Nigeria’s delegation to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Shettima will join King Charles of England and leaders from 56 member countries at the event, set to take place from October 21 to 26 in Apia, Samoa.
According to Shettima’s spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha, the theme for this year’s CHOGM is “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth.” The discussions will focus on leveraging the strengths of member nations to enhance resilience, unlock potential, and foster a connected, digital Commonwealth.
Additionally, Nigeria and other member countries are expected to elect and appoint the next Commonwealth Secretary-General during the meeting. Following the revised 2022 memorandum on the Commonwealth Secretariat’s establishment and functions, the next Secretary-General will be selected from the African region. Candidates for the role include representatives from Lesotho, Ghana, and The Gambia, with Nigeria playing a significant role as the largest African member.
Nkwocha also noted that the leaders will address pressing global issues, including economic, environmental, and security challenges. They will discuss collaborative strategies to build resilience, boost trade, drive innovation and growth, and empower the Commonwealth’s 1.5 billion youth for a more peaceful and sustainable future.
Furthermore, Shettima is expected to leverage the Commonwealth Business Forum to attract more investors to Nigeria, highlighting the country’s potential for growth and development.