President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, departed Abuja for Nairobi, Kenya, where he’s billed to participate in the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environmental Programme scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

He will, thereafter, proceed to London, United Kingdom, for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks.

Buhari’s trip comes after an invitation extended to him by his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, to attend a special session themed, ‘Strengthening UNEP for the Implementation of the Environmental Dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday titled, ‘President Buhari attends special session on UNEP@50 in Kenya’.

While in Nairobi, the President is expected to deliver the national statement of the country and participate in high-level dialogue sessions on the environment.

The organisers of the anniversary stated, “For 50 years, UNEP has coordinated a worldwide effort with member states to address the world’s biggest environmental challenges. Member states are vital partners in formulating UNEP’s policy, implementing UNEP’s programme and championing solutions to our shared environmental challenges.

“UNEP@50 is a time to reflect on the past and envision the future. It provides an opportunity to reinvigorate international cooperation and spur collective action to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. No country or continent can solve these global crises alone. But each nation has a crucial role to play in protecting our people and planet.”

Buhari will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar; and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Punch