VP Duterte meets Qatar, Nigeria envoys
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Vice President Sara Duterte met with the Nigerian and Qatari ambassadors to discuss collaborative projects and the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines Folakemi Ibidunni Akinleye. (Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)
In separate courtesy calls at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in Mandaluyong City last Friday, Aug. 11, the official welcomed Ambassadors Folakemi Ibidunni Akinleye of Nigeria and Ahmed Saad Al Homidi of Qatar.
Both Nigeria and the Philippines have reason to thank each other for their efforts to maintain their economic and people-to-people ties.
The Nigerian ambassador thanked the Vice President for the message she sent them during their 1st Nigeria-Philippines Business Forum and 1st Nigeria-Philippines Women in Leadership Summit last year.
Duterte, on the other hand, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for taking care of Filipinos, especially seafarers, in Nigeria.
“We would like to thank you and your country for taking care of Filipino seafarers in Nigeria. We truly appreciate your kindness," the Vice President said.
The two officials also discussed possible collaborations in the field of education.
(From left) Vice President Sara Duterte and Ambassador Ahmed Saad Al Homidi of Qatar shake hands during a meeting on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. (OVP photo)
Meanwhile, Duterte was also grateful to the Qatari government for collaborating with the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd), which she heads, in distributing school supplies and FIFA World Cup souvenirs to selected school children.
Qatar was the host of the FIFA World Cup last year. It was the first to be held in an Arab country.
The Qatari had just presented his credentials to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last March 23.