Qatar authorities have rejected President Bola Tinubu’s request to visit the nation for business and investment forum.
In a letter to the ministry of foreign affairs on Thursday, the Qatari government disclosed that it would not be able to welcome President Tinubu and hold the proposed forum on 2 and 3 March, citing lack of a legally binding agreement between Qatar and Nigeria for the promotion of investment.
Qatari government also noted that its ministry of commerce had other commitments on the days Tinubu desired to visit.
“The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologises that it will not be able to hold a Business and Investment Forum as proposed by Nigerian side” because “there is no any agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Investment Promotion and Protection,” the letter sent to the foreign affairs ministry on February 22 stated.
Furthermore, the Gulf nation stressed that its commerce and industry minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani “will be carrying out official missions outside the country during the upcoming visit period” which makes him unavailable to meet with the Nigerian leader.
It added that its officials would be too busy because Qatar was hosting its own “web summit” the same time Tinubu planned to visit.
“The State of Qatar will be hosting a web summit during the suggested period and the state’s authorities will be preoccupied with this event,” the letter noted.
The Qatari government’s failure to reschedule the business forum to a more convenient period, perhaps, suggested its unwillingness to forge any economic alliance with Nigeria.
Recall that last year, the United Arab Emirates authorities faulted an announcement that a visa ban on Nigerians had been lifted after Tinubu visited the UAE leader, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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