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Qatar Makes U-turn, Says Investment Forum ‘ll Hold During Tinubu’s Visit

Published

1 year ago

February 25, 2024

Qatar has made a U-turn on its decision not to host the business and investment forum proposed by President Bola Tinubu during his visit slated for March 2, 2024, to the Arab country.

This followed a leaked memo on Saturday which showed that Qatar declined the proposed investment forum, citing the unavailability of the country’s minister of commerce and industry, Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Also, the embassy of Qatar in Abuja had said there is no agreement between the Arabian country and Nigeria regarding the investment forum.

Recall that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja stated this in a letter dated February 22 2024 addressed to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria.

But in the letter, which was received by the ministry on February 23 2024 and sighted by our correspondent on Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologised for the rejection of the proposed business visit.

Reacting to the alleged rejection, the Presidency said the Qatari government did not snub Tinubu.

It explained that the botched investment forum between the Nigerian and Qatari business communities was only one of several events lined up ahead of the President’s state visit to the Gulf country.

“It is not correct for anyone to insinuate that the Qatari authorities have snubbed the Nigerian leader over a business and investment forum which is tangential to the all-important state visit and which President Tinubu is slated to attend as a guest,” a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday read.

Onanuga, in a statement titled, ‘President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar,’ in response to a leaked note between the foreign ministries of both countries explained that Tinubu was expected to proceed to Qatar on the state visit as scheduled and during the visit, the Nigerian leader would engage in high-level bilateral discussions with Qatari leader on many important matters, covering the full range of diplomatic and economic issues.

However, in a twist of event, the Qatari has confirmed that the business parley will be held during Tinubu’s visit to the country in a memo dated Sunday, February 25, 2024, addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Qatar embassy said, “Regarding the upcoming State visit of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Qatar from 2nd-3rd March 2024 and with reference to our Note: Ref: QEA/FA/057/24 dated 22/02/2024 regarding holding of a Business and Investment Forum (BIF) on the margins of Mr. President’s visit to Qatar on 2nd March 2024.”

“The Embassy has the honour to convey that the Qatar Chamber of Commerce will host the above-mentioned event on March 3, 2024, as proposed by the Nigerian side.”

Related Topics:#Presidency #Tinubu Qatar

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US Threatens Visa Overstayers With Lifetime Ban

Published

2 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

The United States government has issued a severe warning to foreign nationals who overstay their visa validity.

The embassy also cautioned that such action could lead to deportation and a permanent ban from re-entering the country.

In a statement made available to the press on Monday, US immigration authorities reiterated their longstanding policy on visa compliance, saying, “If you remain in the United States beyond your authorised period of stay, you could be deported, and could face a permanent ban on traveling to the United States.”

This warning comes amid rising migration figures, especially among young Africans, many of whom travel to the United States in pursuit of better education and economic opportunity.

According to recent data from the US Department of Homeland Security, visa overstays represent a significant portion of immigration violations annually, prompting tighter enforcement measures and renewed public awareness campaigns by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

However, under US immigration law, individuals who remain in the country unlawfully for more than 180 days can face a three- or ten-year ban and, in some cases, a lifetime bar from returning.

For Nigerians seeking to relocate or study in the US, the warning serves as a reminder to comply strictly with immigration terms, especially as global scrutiny on migration grows fiercer.

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US Will Send Ukraine Patriot Air Defense Systems

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States would send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to help it fight off a Russian invasion, as his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin soured.

“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” Trump said, without specifying how many, just two weeks after Washington said it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv.

“I haven’t agreed on the number yet, but they’re going to have some because they do need protection,” he told reporters.

The weapons delivery will be part of a new deal which Trump says will involve NATO paying the United States for some of the weapons it sends to Ukraine.

“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they’re going to pay us 100 percent for them,” Trump told reporters.

The US president repeated that he was “disappointed” in Putin.

When he first returned to the White House in January Trump insisted he could work with the Russian leader to end the war, but grew increasingly frustrated as Russian missiles continued with no ceasefire in sight.

“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” said the disgruntled Trump.

US special envoy Keith Kellogg is due to begin his latest visit to Ukraine on Monday.

Trump also said he would meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, when he previously said he would make a “major statement… on Russia.”

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Canadian Province Quebec Stops New Sponsorships For Partners, Dependents Until 2026

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11 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Editor

The Quebec government, one of the 10 provinces in Canada, has suspended new applications under its family reunification program for spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, and dependent children aged 18 or over until June 25, 2026.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) on July 10, the province has reached its annual cap of 13,000 family sponsorship applications. Of these, 10,400 were allocated for immediate family members, while 2,600 slots were for parents, grandparents, and other eligible relatives.

The halt, effective from July 9, is aimed at aligning immigration levels with the province’s capacity to provide housing and public services. Quebec is currently grappling with a housing crunch, particularly in urban areas like Montreal.

Applications submitted after the cut-off will be returned unprocessed. However, exemptions apply for unmarried dependent children under 18, adopted children, orphaned minors, dependents with disabilities, and additions to ongoing applications.

MIFI advised potential sponsors to prepare in advance for the next intake and monitor updates ahead of the 2026 window.