Tinubu departs Abuja for Paris in maiden official trip for world leaders summit on COVID-19 global financial pact

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday morning left Abuja for Paris, France to join world leaders for a summit that will review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on the priority list for support and investment in the aftermath of the devastating impact of climate change, the energy crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summit which will be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France, will be held at Palais Brongniart.

Tinubu, who is scheduled to attend the two-day summit from Thursday to Friday (June 22 and 23), is expected to return to the country on Saturday.

The President is accompanied on the trip by members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and some senior government officials.

According to Mr Dele Alake, the Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, the summit would look at opportunities to restore fiscal space to countries that face difficult short-term financial challenges, especially the most indebted; mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change; foster development in low-income countries and encourage investment in ‘green’ infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing economies.

It said that the President and the other global leaders, multilateral institutions, financial experts and economists will take a more holistic look at the recovery of economies from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising cases of poverty, with a view to providing access to finance and investment that will leverage inclusive growth.