NIGERIA
TO ATTEND G8 SUMMIT
Nigeria has been formally invited to attend the next
G-8 Summit of the World's industrial nations holding
in Italy.
In a letter of invitation to the Nigerian Ambassador
to Italy, Prince Ehineden Erediuwa, the Personal
Representative of the President of the Italian
Council of Ministers for Africa, Mr. Luca Riccardi,
said President Yar’Adua was invited because Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi is personally committed
to renewing ties between the G-8 and Africa,
particularly with Nigeria.
According to the letter dated June twelve, the
Nigerian President Yar’Adua is expected at the next
G-8 meeting which will take place at L'Aquila from
July eight to ten.
Next month's meeting will be the third since
President Yar'Adua was sworn in on May 29, 2007 and
the first he is being invited to attend.
In the last two summits, the G-8 organizers had
invited only China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South
Africa while Egypt was also invited to represent the
Arab, Muslim and African world.
The non-invitation of the President Yar’Adua to the
last meeting had attracted wide criticisms and
commentaries from Nigerians at home and abroad.
Newspaper/Qasim/Austeen