Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday departed Abuja for Brazil to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30).
The summit, convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in partnership with global stakeholders, will hold from November 6 to 7 in Belém, the capital of Pará State in the Brazilian Amazon.
Shettima is expected to join other world leaders, development partners, and business executives at the conference, themed “Climate Action and Implementation”, which will focus on adaptation, forests, biodiversity, and climate justice.
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On the first day of engagements in Belem, Senator Shettima will attend the general plenary of leaders, where he is expected to present Nigeria’s climate action address.
He will also take part in the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund and participate in a roundtable chaired by President Lula on Climate and Nature before attending an Amazonian Cocktail for Heads of Delegation, hosted by the President of Brazil.
On the second day of the summit, Vice President Shettima will participate in two roundtables chaired by President Lula on energy transition as well as the review of the Paris Agreement, with a focus on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Financing.
On the sidelines, Senator Shettima will hold bilateral meetings focused on establishing and managing Nigeria’s participation in the carbon markets, enabling the nation to unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade to help meet climate goals.
At the end of his COP 30 engagements, Vice President Kashim Shettima will proceed to Brasília for a reciprocal visit to his Brazilian counterpart, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who undertook a landmark three-day visit to Nigeria in June.
During Alckmin’s visit, both nations signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering key sectors such as defence cooperation, agricultural technology transfer, energy collaboration, and cultural exchange.
In Brasília, Shettima, alongside senior Nigerian government officials, will hold talks with Alckmin aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s South-South relations and expanding bilateral partnerships.
The Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements in Brazil.
