The Qatari authorities have turned down President Bola Tinubu’s request to visit the nation and hold a business and investment forum.
A letter from the Qatari government sent to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday disclosed that it would not be able to welcome Mr. Tinubu and hold the proposed forum on March 2 and 3 due to the lack of a legally binding agreement between Qatar and Nigeria for the promotion of investment.
It also noted that its ministry of commerce had other commitments on the days Mr Tinubu desired to visit.
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The letter sent to the foreign affairs ministry on February 22 read, “The Embassy has the honor to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologizes that it will not be able to hold a Business and Investment Forum as proposed by the 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.”
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It further 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.
The letter added that its officials would be too busy because Qatar was hosting its own “web summit” the same time Mr Tinubu planned to visit.
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“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 indicated.
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.
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