Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy has taken exception to an article published by African Travel Times on July 12, 2025, titled: “A Bitter Irony: UAE’s Sanctions Undermine African Trust After Africa-Backed Win for UN Tourism Role.” This was contained in a statement signed by Hon. Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, which reads: “The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the views and assertions made in the article do not reflect the position of the Honourable Minister, the Ministry, or the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoy a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship, particularly in tourism development and cultural cooperation.
“We clarify that the Federal Government has not received any official communication regarding changes to UAE’s visa policy, and visa issuance for Nigerians is proceeding in an orderly manner.
“The Ministry dissociates itself from the article’s contents and urges the publisher to retract the publication to avoid misrepresenting Nigeria’s diplomatic position. We reaffirm our commitment to international tourism cooperation and peaceful partnerships based on trust and diplomacy, “it also added.
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