Osinbajo urges US’ support for anti-pandemic vaccine, net-zero emission

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has urged United States to lend its weight to the call for a just and easy access to COVID-19 vaccine by all countries and global transition to zero emissions.

  Osinbajo said this would help African nations to generally reset their foreign policy agenda within the continent in ways that will bring about economic prosperity, increased security and improved governance.

  Prof. Osinbajo made the call today in a speech delivered virtually at the 2021 Johns Hopkins University’s African Studies Programme Conference.

  Holing under the theme Africa-US Re-engagement: A New Foreign Policy Agenda, the conference is being organised by the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the university.

  According to him, America and Africa should continue to partner each other in many areas particularly against climate change and the pandemic.

  “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. 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,” he said.

   It will be recalled that Osinbajo recently advocated for a just transition to net-zero emissions, particularly calling on multilateral agencies, and western countries to stop the planned defunding of gas projects in developing countries.