By CrossRiverWatch admin
Eyo Asuquo, Chairman, World Mayors’ Conference, African Region, on Thursday in Abuja said that Nigeria would host this year’s edition in Calabar from May 23 to May 27.
Asuquo said this when his team paid a courtesy call on Mr Qin Jian, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria.
“We are at the embassy to officially inform it of the forthcoming World Mayors’ Conference and to solicit the Embassy’s support to mobilize mayors from China to attend the conference,” he said.
Asuquo said that the objectives of the conference were in line with the agenda of President Buhari to diversify the country’s economy from oil to agriculture and solid minerals.
He said that the conference would be attended by the 774 local government chairmen from the country as well as mayors from Africa, Asia, America and Europe.
Qin Jian, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of China to Nigeria, thanked the team for the visit.
Jian reiterated that China was always willing and ready to partner Africa in any way it could to promote a win-win cooperation.
He said that China had no fewer than 2,000 mayors in all its provinces.
The envoy then tasked the organizers of the conference to put adequate modalities in place to ensure a successful hosting.
Jian also reiterated his embassy’s resolve to inform relevant stakeholders about the importance of the conference.
The conference manager, John Igoche, said that some of the benefits of the conference would include capacity training, skills’ acquisition as well as showcasing the potentials of various participating countries.
Igoche said that his committee had resolved to host a successful conference and called for a win-win situation for all would-be participating countries.
Similarly, Dr. Aisha Audu , another conference committee member, said that the conference would seek to address some of the challenges facing the youths and women in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.
Aisha held that, “The conference is ready to complement the efforts of the present administration of President Buhari.”
She then urged the various stakeholders to support the conference for it to achieve a better result.
(NAN)
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