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

The visit of the President to Qatar was scheduled for March 2 and 3, 2024.

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.

The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Regarding the upcoming state visit of H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Qatar from March 2 and 3, 2024 and with reference to your note: Ref: ME.631 2024 dated 12/02/2024, which proposed the holding of a business and investment forum on the margins of Mr President’s visit to Qatar on March 2, 2024.

“The Embassy has the honour to inform that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Qatar apologises that it will not be able to hold a business and investment forum as proposed by the Nigerian side,” part of the letter read.

The embassy explained that “there is no agreement signed between the State of Qatar and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on investment promotion and protection.

His Excellency, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, will be carrying out official missions outside the country during the upcoming visit period.

“The State of Qatar will be hosting a web summit during the suggested period and the state’s authorities will be preoccupied with this event.”

However, 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.

The Presidency said, “We are aware of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar between March 2 and 3, 2024.

“The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub of President Tinubu by the Qatari government.”

The 40-year-old Barcelona and Spain legend, who is the current manager of Al Sadd in Qatar, announced his diagnosis today July 25 on Instagram.

He wrote on his page “A few days ago, following the QSL (Qatar Stars League) protocol, I tested positive in the last COVID19 test. Fortunately, I’m feeling ok, but I will be isolated until I am given the all-clear. When the health services allow it, I will be very eager to return to my daily routine and to work.  I’d like to thank all the authorities, especially those working in [the] QSL, [the] QFA (Qatar Football Association) and [at] Al-Sadd for supplying the means of early detection, reducing the spread of infection and that guarantees the normal development of the competition”

The logo was projected in the country’s most iconic buildings, including Burj Doha, Katara Cultural Village Amphitheatre, Souq Waqif, and Al Zubarah Fort which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The emblem was unveiled in 24 other major cities across the world including London, Johannesburg, Mexico City, Mumbai, Paris , and Seoul.

The design is reportedly a stylised Arabic white unisex shawl with maroon patterning, which is displayed in a figure-of-eight symbolising infinity while creating a heart shape above the words “FIFA WORLD CUP Qatar 2022”.

The Qatari organisers said the logo “was inspired by traditional woollen shawls worn during the winter months”.

The 22nd edition of the World Cup, which will be the first staged in the Arab world, will get underway on November 21, 2022. The final will be played on December 18, 2022, Qatar’s National Day

He was taken into custody in Nanterre, Paris, on Tuesday morning. Platini is currently serving a four-year ban from football after he was found guilty of receiving a disloyal payment from ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Qatar controversially won the rights to host the 2022 World Cup nearly a decade ago, in December 2010.