The Qatar authorities on Sunday issued a new note verbale, saying that it would be hosting a Business and Investment Forum with Nigeria delegation during the forthcoming visit of Presodenr Bola Tinubu to Doha.
President Tinubu is scheduled to be in Doha, Qatar on a two day official visit between March 2-3.
The Qatarian authorities had earlier ruled out the possibility of a business meeting with Nigeria during the visit.
In a leaked Note Verbale, Qatar quoted lack of existing business agreement between both countries for turning down the business forum proposal by its Nigeria counterpart.
The Qatar Embassy in Abuja which had earlier rejected Nigeria’s proposal for the business forum, on Sunday confirmed that there would be a business forum.
The new note verbale reads: “The Embassy has the honour to convey that the Qatar Chamber of Commerce will host the above mentioned event on 3rd march 2024, as proposed by the Nigerian side,” the Qatari embassy said in a note verbale to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We are delighted to host the Business and Investment Forum during President Tinubu’s visit,” said a spokesperson for the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. “We believe that this forum will be a valuable opportunity to strengthen economic ties between Qatar and Nigeria.”
Also, a statement by the media aide to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir
The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja has clarified the line up of events regarding the upcoming State visit of H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Qatar from 2nd-3rd March 2024 regarding the hosting of a Business and Investment Forum (BIF) on the margins of Mr. President’s visit to Qatar on 2nd March 2024.
In a diplomatic correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Embassy reiterated that the Qatar Chamber of Commerce will host the event on 3rd march 2024, as proposed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The clarification has become necessary to clear deliberate misinformation and misrepresentations in the media on the purported cancellation of the event.
