The First World Bio Summit 2022 will be held in Seoul, South Korea, and President Muhammadu Buhari will travel there on Sunday.
The two-day Summit (October 25–26), which was jointly organised by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the World Health Organization (WHO), had as its theme "The Future of Vaccine and Bio-Health."
Nigeria was chosen, along with five other African nations, by WHO and the European Union (EU) during the most recent EU-African Summit in Brussels, Belgium in February of this year to serve as a Global Training Hub for the Bio-Manufacturing of Vaccines on the African Continent, according to a statement released by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Saturday.
Also expected to feature at the World Bio Summit are CEOs of global vaccine and Biologics companies who will share and shape ideas on the theme, given that, according to the organisers, “global health security profoundly depends on the innovation and development in the bio-industry.”
The statement added that the partnership between the Republic of Korea and WHO, is, therefore, to underscore not only the above historic truth but also the need to launch international stage efforts on the nature of creativity and innovation required to contain any future health pandemic.
President Buhari, who is expected to deliver a Statement at the Summit, and meet separately with President Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea, will also seek other ways of more effective partnerships that impact positively on the lives and safety of Nigerians during his other engagements and meetings while in Seoul.
Accompanying the Nigerian leader are Governors Aminu Bello Masari and Abubakar Sani Bello of Katsina and the Niger States respectively; Ministers Geoffrey Onyeama, Osagie Ehanire and Adeniyi Adebayo, of Foreign Affairs, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment respectively; and Timipre Sylva, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.
Others on the delegation are Maj-Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno (Rtd), National Security Adviser; Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General, National Intelligence Agency; Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC; Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, Director-General, NCDC; Bashir Jamoh, Director-General, NIMASA; Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, NiDCOM as well as other top government officials.
President Buhari is expected back in Nigeria after the Summit.