Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Professor Melaku Desta, a professor of International Economic Law in the United Kingdom, are expected at a two-day physical and virtual capacity building programme for Nigerian negotiators, beginning on Monday, June 28.
Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), organisers of the event, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Osinbajo is expected to deliver the opening address at the event, while Desta will present a paper on ‘Understanding Trade Agreements’.
Ogugua said the capacity building programme is jointly organised by the ICPC, in conjunction with the Inter-Agency Committee on stopping Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) from Nigeria.
Participants are senior and middle-level negotiators drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, who are involved in negotiating trade agreements with foreign nations and companies.
The ICPC chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, explained that the capacity building is aimed at equipping Nigerian negotiators with improved terms of engagement and how to mitigate IFFs.
“The idea of the training is to sensitise negotiators on the type of clauses to look out for to protect the laws of the country and prevent Nigeria from losing revenue through IFFs.
“The capacity building will help our negotiators prepare for the risks associated with negotiating trade, investment, tax, natural resource, and environmental agreements for the country,” he said.
The chairman also disclosed that the first day would be a virtual zoom meeting, while five breakout sessions would be held physically on the second day at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
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