President Bola Tinubu has designated Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa. The event will take place from October 21 to 26, in Apia, the capital of the Pacific island nation.
This announcement was made on Sunday in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Vice President. The statement, titled ‘VP Shettima To Represent President Tinubu At CHOGM 2024,’ confirmed Shettima’s attendance alongside global leaders, including King Charles III of the United Kingdom and heads of state from the 56 Commonwealth member countries.
The 2024 CHOGM will focus on the theme ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Common Wealth,’ which underscores the need for member states to harness resilience, unlock potential, and capitalize on the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ to foster a more connected, digital future. Discussions will also address key issues such as the global economy, environmental concerns, and security challenges.
A significant agenda item for this year’s meeting will be the election of a new Commonwealth Secretary-General, as the position rotates to the Africa region in accordance with the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Agreed Memorandum (revised in 2022). Candidates for the role are from Lesotho, Ghana, and The Gambia, with Nigeria expected to play a prominent role as the largest African member state.
Vice President Shettima and other world leaders will review the progress made since the last CHOGM in 2022. They are also expected to deliberate on how Commonwealth countries can collaborate to enhance resilience, boost trade, innovation, and growth, while empowering the Commonwealth’s 1.5 billion youth population for a more peaceful and sustainable future.
Beyond official deliberations, Shettima will use the Commonwealth Business Forum to attract foreign investment to Nigeria. The forum brings together global business experts and leaders from the private sector to discuss solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. In addition, Shettima will participate in the People’s Forum, organized by the Commonwealth Foundation, offering a platform for people to engage with global leaders on key development issues.
Samoa marks Shettima’s 11th foreign destination and 12th international trip since taking office. The Vice President has already accumulated 93 flight hours across 56 days abroad, visiting countries such as Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China, the United States, Switzerland, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Sweden.
