Osinbajo to US: Support just transition to net-zero emissions, global access to COVID-19 vaccine

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria's Vice President

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday urged the United States to reset its foreign policy agenda with the African continent in ways that bring about economic prosperity, increased security, and improved governance, reports Punch.

In the report, he also called for the US’ support to the call for a just global transition to zero emissions and lead the effort to ensure easy access to COVID-19 vaccine by all countries.

According to a statement by the Vice President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled ‘Osinbajo to US: Support just transition to net-zero emissions, global access to COVID-19 vaccine.” Professor Yemi Osinbajo made the appeal in a speech delivered virtually at the 2021 Johns Hopkins University’s African Studies Programme Conference organised by the university’s School of Advanced International Studies on the theme “Africa-US Re-engagement: A new foreign policy agenda,”

Calling on the US to reset its foreign policy agenda with Africa, Osinbajo noted that the reviewed cooperation with the continent “should promote a partnership that brings about economic prosperity, increases security, combats disease, improves governance and mitigates climate change.

“Africa is in many ways the last frontier for economic development and it has the potential to be a global growth pole.

“Indeed, as other parts of the world are looking inwards, Africa is moving confidently to integrate its economies through the African Union Agenda 2063 as well as the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“The United States and Africa should work together to tackle climate change and moderate global warming including through an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies.", the statement stated further. “African countries have made commitments in this regard towards implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement targets.

“Given the long term commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, there is a growing trend among development finance institutions to withdraw from fossil fuel investment, including the World Bank’s decision to cease funding for upstream oil and gas development and the new restrictions on financing downstream gas development currently being considered by the European Union, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States.

“While well-intentioned, this move does not take into account the principles of common but differentiated responsibility and leaving no one behind, that are enshrined into global treaties around sustainable development and climate action. The United States must lend its weight to stopping this manifestly unfair trend that can undermine the sense of collective responsibility we all have towards mitigating climate change. What is required is a just transition to zero emissions.

On violent extremist organisations, Osinbajo stated that “While it is evident that the threat of violent extremist organisations is growing, it will appear that US policy (United States Africa Command) has since 2020 shifted from a strategy of degrading violent extremist organisations in West Africa to simply containing their spread.

“The escalation of the attacks and the synergies being created among these extremist groups call for a review of that position. It may be the moment for a more robust intervention along the lines of US-backed operations in clearing terrorists and insurgents in the Middle East. Since the United States is also a global leader in economic and military terms as well as through its contributions to the norms that shape the global order, it should work with Africa either under the auspices of the African Union or indeed through individual countries like Nigeria to build a better world".