Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has advised African, Caribbean and Pacific States to engage more among themselves and collectively review and address issues affecting them especially issues relating to peace, security, climate change and debt relief.
Osinbajo stated this on Friday when he received the Secretary General of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Who paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa.
The Vice President Commended the organization for its efforts and commitment to restructure for better service delivery, noting that member states are happier when resources are directed at programmes that benefit them directly.
On the issue of Climate Change, the Vice President urged developing countries to be more forceful on its position, stating that “we may be shortchanging ourselves by making commitments to carbon neutrality within the time specified by wealthier countries and not taking into account our challenges and peculiarities.”
Osinbajo added that the issue of debt cancellation for developing countries is gaining traction, and is crucial for African states to be bold and forceful in its advocacy.
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The Secretary General of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti said the visit to Nigeria was part of his tour of member states of the OACPS to speak about ongoing reforms and restructuring in the organization.
He said the OACPS is now making efforts to secure new alliances and strengthen strategic partnerships especially with the European Union and others to achieve set objectives.
The Secretary General said the organization has constituted an inter-regional coordination committee, a business forum, cultural foundation, a parliamentary assembly, among others, to ensure efficiency in the running of the body.
He acknowledged Nigeria’s contributions to member states through technical cooperation over the years, and commended the leadership of President Buhari and the Vice President in actualization of goals of the country’s Technical Aid Corps programme.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
