On Monday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, expressed openness to discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on tourism development, during a visit by the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Al-Shamsi, to his office in Abuja.
Highlighting the UAE, especially Dubai, as a global tourist hub, Wike emphasized Nigeria’s ambition to transform its capital city, Abuja, into a prominent tourism destination. He mentioned that representatives from the FCT Administration would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s delegation to the upcoming COP28 in Dubai. During this visit, discussions will be initiated to explore the tourism potential of Abuja, aiming for mutual economic benefits for both nations.
“We believe in the relationship that President Tinubu is facilitating between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. It is important for Abuja City to consolidate on it.
“We would like to partner with the United Arab Emirates because we have a lot in common. I am glad that the relationship is getting better and better than it used to be.
“I know for President Tinubu, governance is business, and whatever is going to make Nigeria great is what he stands for. So, we are here as his foot soldiers to complement his effort to see that his renewed hope agenda is fulfilled,” Wike said.
Wike urged the UAE to quickly resolve the visa and Emirates flight issues to enable Nigerians to travel to Dubai and other cities in the UAE for tourism and business.
Earlier, Al-Shamsi expressed his love for the Nigerian people and his excitement that President Tinubu would attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai.
“This is going to be something great for us,” he said.
Regarding the visa and Emirates flight matters, the ambassador provided assurance to the minister that these issues would be promptly resolved.
As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).
Scheduled from November 30 to December 12, the conference will take place at Expo City Dubai, focusing on deliberations and agreements for bold, practical, and ambitious solutions to address the global climate challenge.
