German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will on Wednesday, tour three West African countries, paying visits to Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

Ms Merkel is to spend Wednesday through Friday in the three countries, accompanied by an economic delegation, Deputy Government Spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer said Friday in Berlin.

Ms Merkel is expected to meet President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday morning at the State House, Abuja, as part of her visit.

Migration politics, particularly Ms Merkel’s campaign to tackle the causes resulting in a stream of refugees to Europe, are likely to feature on the discussion agenda.

A large percentage of African migrants trying to cross to Europe through the Mediterranean are Nigerians. While some make it to Europe, mainly Italy, as refugees, several others drown in the Mediterranean. Thousands are, however, stranded in Libya from where they normally cross the sea to Europe.

The Nigerian government working with the International Organisation for Migration has successfully returned, in 2018, thousands of Nigerians stranded in Libya.

The first leader Ms Merkel would meet on her trip is Senegalese President, Macky Sall.

Ms Merkel is to meet Wednesday afternoon with Mr Sall to discuss economic developments in the country and regional cooperation.

In the evening she will meet with civil society representatives.

Then it’s onto the Ghanaian capital of Accra to meet President Nana Akufo-Addo, on Thursday to discuss economic affairs and foreign policy.

The chancellor is also to take part in a German Business-organised roundtable that will focus on private investment linked to the G20 “Compact with Africa” initiative.

Finally, Ms Merkel is to head to Nigeria on Friday to meet with the president of the ECOWAS economic alliance of West African states, Jean-Claude Brou.

She will hold talks with Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that on October 7, 2016, Ms Merkel visited three African countries before hosting leaders from Chad and Nigeria for talks in Berlin, as she seeks ways to stem a migrant influx to Europe.

Ms Merkel first traveled to Mali and Nigeria before heading to Ethiopia where she is to visit the headquarters of the African Union in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Her talks with leaders of all three countries are to focus on migration issues and the battle against terrorism.

•Sourced from a Daily Sun

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