Buhari leaves for AU summit on Friday

President Muhammadu Buhari will depart for Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on Friday to participate in the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) where he will make the presentation on anti-corruption.

The President, who was engaged by AU at the last session to present a road-map on anti-corruption in Africa, would speak on “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation”.

This is the first time in the 54-year history of the AU that anti-corruption will be made a theme of the gathering of the regional leaders.

On July 4, 2017, the 29th Session of the AU, African leaders unanimously endorsed Buhari to champion the fight against corruption on the continent.

The endorsement was in recognition of his personal commitment and widely acclaimed anti-graft drive at the domestic level.

On July 25, 2017, the President in a letter to President Alpha Conde of Guinea, who is also the out-going AU Chairperson, formally accepted his nomination to lead members of the AU on this crucial crusade against a veritable socio-economic vice that is anti-development.

While thanking his colleagues for the honour, he reiterated his “commitment to contribute towards our collective efforts to strengthen good governance and development on the continent.”

Apart from anti-corruption, other issues lined for consideration by African leaders and their delegations include peace and security (transnational terrorism); institutional reforms of the continental body; free movement of persons; climate change; trade; aviation; education; gender and development.

According to Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), President Buhari will also hold bilateral meetings with some of his colleagues on issues of common interests.

Some top officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami will accompany the president.

Others are the Minister of Interior, retired Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau; the Minister of State (Aviation), Mr. Hadi Sirika; the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, is also in the delegation to the Summit.

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