Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari is back to Abuja after a trip to Egypt, where he attended the Aswan Forum designed to set “An Agenda for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa.”
The aim of the forum was to “address the interconnections between peace and development in Africa while promoting Africa-led solutions through strengthening policies and practices.”
He left Tuesday accompanied by Governors Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe for the two-day Forum held on December 11-12.
The presidential chopper, which conveyed him to Aso Rock Villa from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, landed about 3:15pm Friday.
Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, launched the initiative in his capacity as the Chairman of the African Union.
Buhari had at the opening session of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa on Wednesday, announced the visa on arrival as a way of promoting free movement and facilitating the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
The President had said: “We in Nigeria have already taken the strategic decision to bring down barriers that have hindered the free movement of our people within the continent by introducing the issuance of visa at the point of entry into Nigeria to all persons holding passports of African countries with effect from January, 2020.”
He also said for Africa to progress, the continent must prevent and resolve the conflicts slowing it down.
