Shettima arrives in Abuja after attending AU summit in Ethiopia

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, alongside the 30th AU General Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Vice President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, confirmed this in a statement issued on Sunday night.

The summit, held on Friday and Saturday, focused on the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” bringing together African leaders to deepen commitments to sustainable water management, improved sanitation, and the continent’s long-term development blueprint under Agenda 2063.

During the summit, Shettima took part in high-level side events and bilateral meetings with political and business leaders, aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s diplomatic, economic, and strategic relations across Africa.

He also met with António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who encouraged Nigeria to play a leading role in Africa’s push for a restructured global order, noting the country’s strategic position on the continent.

At a side event titled “Building Africa’s Health Security Sovereignty,” the Vice President called for African countries to reduce dependence on foreign aid and develop self-reliant health systems. He stressed the need to protect the health of Africans from the uncertainties of distant supply chains and shifting global crisis priorities.

Records show that Shettima has spent a total of 73 days outside the country, visiting 16 nations across 22 trips. He has travelled more than 43,000 nautical miles, equivalent to about 79,000 kilometres, and logged over 93 flight hours.

His foreign visits have included trips to Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China, the United States, Switzerland, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Guinea.