Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has arrived in Lake Como, Italy, to participate in an international workshop where he is expected to advocate for Africa to embrace strategic partnerships rather than rely on foreign aid.
Saraki, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, will join global leaders, policymakers, and scholars at the event organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).
The statement said the workshop, themed “Big Daddy Gone? Global Partnerships Without U.S. Leadership,” will be held from June 29 to July 1.
Speaking ahead of the event, Saraki said Africa must seize the opportunities presented by the changing global order.
“This is a question that will define the coming decade. What does global partnership look like when it is no longer led by Washington?” he said.
He added, “For too long, Africa’s relationship with the world has been framed around aid. The real opportunity lies in partnership—trade, investment, and mutual interests that treat Africa as an equal, not a recipient.”
According to the statement, Saraki will present the African perspective during a panel session titled “Development Policies: Withdrawal of the United States from International Development—Opportunities and Challenges.”
He was selected to represent Africa based on his experience in both the public and private sectors, including his tenure as President of the Senate, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and Governor of Kwara State.
The conference will feature participants from Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Nigeria, Canada, Australia, India, Italy, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Venezuela, the Philippines, Chile, Liberia, and Poland.
