President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja to Nouakchott today, January 16, 2023, to receive the “African Award for Strengthening Peace’’ in the Mauritanian capital.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, Janaury 15, 2023, by the presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the award is for the President’s leadership role in promoting peace on the continent.

Adesina said the award will be presented to President Buhari by the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum, which is an assembly of leaders established in 2014 to pursue new ways to embrace inclusive citizenship, promote lasting peace, and work towards a safer and more sustainable world for everyone.

He also said Buhari will participate in the programme of the Third Forum of the African Conference for Peace, where he will deliver a speech on milestones and gains in the African peace process.

The statement partly reads; “Before the international recognition for serving Nigeria, and the larger interest of peace in Africa, the President will participate in the Programme of the Third Forum of the African Conference for Peace, where he will deliver a speech on milestones and gains in the African peace process.

“President Buhari will depart for Nouakchott on Monday and return Wednesday, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi, National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Mohammed B. Monguno and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.”

This is the first time the president will be leaving the country in 2023.

The president’s last trip out of the country was to Niamey, the Nigerien capital to attend the African Union Summit on Industrialisation and Economic Diversification, as well as the Extraordinary Session on African Continental Free Trade Area.

Kindly drop your comment below