The Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, met with the Charge D'affairs of the Chinese Embassy, Mr. Zhang Yi, to discuss collaboration between Nigeria and China in cultural exchange programs and infrastructure development. Mr. Zhang Yi reaffirmed China's commitment to working with Nigeria in these areas. They also discussed the progress made during the first meeting of the Culture and Tourism Subcommittee of the Intergovernmental Committee of China and Nigeria, which took place online on January 12, 2022.
One of the key projects discussed was the Abuja Creative City project, which aims to establish cultural hubs in Abuja, including China Town, Korea Town, India Town, Brazil Town, and others. These cultural hubs will feature film studios, arenas, museums, and galleries. The Nigerian government is seeking collaboration with China for infrastructure development related to this project [452f2426].
The Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, in collaboration with Yankee Entertainment, is also working to revive the Abuja International Carnival, which has not been held for eight years. The carnival, established in 2005, aims to showcase the culture and diversity of the Nigerian people. The Ministry and Yankee Entertainment recently met in Abuja to finalize collaboration details and discuss plans for the festival, which is scheduled for November. The carnival will feature street shows, music concerts, a boat regatta, durbar, children's fiesta, and exhibitions. The Ministry hopes that reviving the carnival will promote cultural diversity and support the creative economy. Yankee Entertainment, known for its involvement in other festivals, aims to make the Abuja International Carnival even bigger than the Calabar Christmas Carnival and attract participants from around the world [fb2313a7].
In another development, the Group Managing Director of Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL), Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, visited Centenary City Free zone in Abuja to explore potential partnership opportunities. The visit aimed to accelerate the development and investment prospects of Centenary City and Abuja. Discussions during the visit covered the current development status, investment potential, sustainability efforts, and technological advancements. Both AICL and Centenary City expressed optimism about future collaboration after resolving previous challenges. AICL, founded in 1995, is a key player in Abuja's investment landscape, while Centenary City is a planned city project in Abuja [eb8ca024].
American C&N Associates plans to build a "smart city" in Nurafshan, Uzbekistan. The project, estimated to cost between $10-15 billion, was revealed by the press service of the Tashkent regional khokimiyat. The proposed smart city will span 1,600 hectares and aims to integrate modern infrastructure and technological advancements. It will house government organizations, medical institutions, educational facilities, and industrial zones. The project includes the construction of a plant for producing building materials from local raw materials. The plan also involves enhancing connectivity between Tashkent and Nurafshan through the introduction of high-speed trains. C&N Associates aims to attract over 15 partners and investors to support the development of the smart city. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the company and the Tashkent regional khokimiyat. C&N Associates has over 40 years of experience in designing and constructing residential and commercial properties [2f155338].