President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday left Abuja for Aswan, Egypt, to attend the Aswan Forum designed to set “An Agenda for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa.”

The President, who was accompanied on the trip by Governors Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), departed the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for Egypt at about 2:00 p.m.

Also on the President’s entourage were the Minister of Defence, Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd); Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada; National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd); and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Abubakar.

The Forum, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, holds between December 11 and December 12 and is put together to address the interconnections between peace and development in Africa while promoting Africa-led solutions through the strengthening of policies and practices.

The statement read: “The initiative is being launched by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in his capacity as the Chairman of the African Union (AU) and as an advocate of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa – a recurring theme of his tenure as the AU Chairman.

“It is also grounded in the AU’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, and the search for African solutions to African problems.

“The gathering is expected to bring together heads of state and government, leaders from regional and international organisations, financial institutions, private sector, and civil societies.

“(Others are) scholars, visionaries and prominent experts for action-oriented discussions on the threats, challenges, and opportunities.

“It is also expected to end with a Declaration on the theme of the Forum and become an annual event.”

President Buhari is expected back in the country on Friday. (NAN)