Abuja: Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Brazil to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Mr Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the conference tagged COP30 is scheduled to hold from Nov. 6 to 7 in the city of Bel©m, capital of the state of Par¡, in the Brazilian Amazon. It will be convened by Brazil’s President Luiz In¡cio Lula da Silva, in collaboration with other partners. Nkwocha said VP Shettima is billed to join other world leaders, development partners, and business executives at the event.
Nkwocha further explained that the theme of the conference is ‘Climate Action and Implementation,’ with a focus on adaptation, forests, biodiversity, and climate justice. He noted that on the first day of engagements in Belem, Shettima will attend the general plenary of leaders where he is expected to present Nigeria’s climate action address. Additionally, Shettima would take part in the inauguration of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund and participate in a roundtable chaired by President Lula on Climate and Nature.
Nkwocha mentioned that Vice-President Shettima will also attend an Amazonian Cocktail for Heads of Delegation, hosted by the President of Brazil. On the second day of the summit, VP Shettima will participate in two roundtables chaired by President Lula on energy transition and the review of the Paris Agreement, focusing on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Financing.
On the sidelines of the event, the spokesperson highlighted that Shettima will hold bilateral meetings on establishing and managing Nigeria’s participation in the carbon markets. This initiative aims to enable Nigeria to unlock between 2.5 billion dollars and three billion dollars annually in carbon finance over the next decade to help meet climate goals.
Nkwocha disclosed that at the conclusion of his COP30 engagements, Shettima will proceed to the city of Brasilia for a reciprocal visit to his Brazilian counterpart, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who had paid a historic three-day visit to Nigeria in June this year. In Brasilia, Vice President Shettima, accompanied by top Nigerian government officials, will engage with his Brazilian counterpart to further deepen Nigeria’s South-South diplomatic ties. The Vice-President is expected back in Nigeria at the end of his engagements in Brazil.