Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN and his Tanzanian counterpart Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango are united in their views regarding a just energy transition as the global community moves towards a net-zero emissions target and the need for greater international collaboration in deterring unconstitutional changes of goverment in Africa.
These are some of the issues discussed by both leaders at a bilateral meeting in Arusha 26th of February 2022, after Prof. Osinbajo arrived in Tanzania to speak at the inaugural session of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights for the year 2022.
Speaking about the need to promote democratic governance on the continent against the backdrop of recent coups de’tat in West Africa, the Vice President emphasized the need for other regional bodies on the continent and others in the global community to support actions already taken by ECOWAS leaders.
On Climate Change & the attendant goal of net-zero emissions, Prof. Osinbajo observed that “the major challenge is that the wealthier countries are abandoning fossil fuels and gas and some of them are already defunding gas projects.”
According to him, “we in Africa will run into trouble because gas projects are important even for the transition. It is important for us to come together to oppose any situation where the wealthier countries insist that on account of going towards net-zero emissions in 2050, we should then abandon gas which is one of the major sources of energy for industry and clean cooking. We think that the wealthier countries are asking us to do what they didn’t do – use renewable energy for industry.”
On his part, Vice President Mpango commended West African leaders for their efforts to halt the menace of coups de’tat in the sub-region and also agreed that Africa can achieve more working in unison, noting that Climate Change is an example of one area leaders on the continent need to work together to address.
The Tanzanian Vice President thanked Prof. Osinbajo for accepting the invitation of the African Court to be the Guest Speaker at the formal opening of the Court’s 2022 Judicial Year.
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