New Telegraph

We’ll need global coalition to defeat terrorism, Osinbajo tells US delegation

NEWS (pix: Osinbajo)

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that there would be a need for a global coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP).

The Vice President said this on Monday while receiving a government delegation from the United States of America (USA) led by the White House Deputy National Security Advisor, Mr. Jonathan Finer.

Recognising the role of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) as a very important initiative sending the right signals, especially in Iraq and Syria, the Vice President said: “If you look at what is going on today in certain regions like the Lake Chad and the Sahel, it is very apparent that we need that kind of resolve in order to be able to deal with ISWAP and Boko Haram in Nigeria.”

In a release by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo also took the opportunity of the meeting to express the gratitude of the Federal Government to the US Government for donating over 3.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria.

Regarding the Democracy Summit President Joe Biden would be hosting later in the year, the Vice President assured that Nigeria looked forward to participating at the summit.

He, however, noted that: “One of the things we have always spoken about is how to ensure that illicit financial flows are discouraged,” while adding that the international monetary and financial systems have a role in stopping it.

“Looking at what happened in the last few years, we have received quite a bit of support from the US government, especially in terms of the repatriation of several of the looted funds, and we hope to continue to get the cooperation of the US,” he said.

Osinbajo also expressed happiness that the US was fully back on the global table on the issue of climate change after Donald Trump’s administration had, four years ago, announced her withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

While reiterating Nigeria’s position regarding a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy ahead of the Net-zero Emissions 2050 target, Osinbajo insisted that the government was concerned about Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)’s resolve to defund gas projects.

Finer, in his comments, informed Osinbajo of a potential partnership with Nigeria on a G-7 Infrastructure Programme – Build Back Better World, which the US President has made a priority.

“It involves bringing together a range of funding sources, development finance and private sector to work with key partner-countries to develop their infrastructure and fill the gap between infrastructure needs and the current state of infrastructure,” he said.

Also in attendance at the meeting were the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard; the Nigerian National Security Advisor, Maj-General Babagana Monguno (rtd), and other US and Nigerian senior government officials.

Read Previous

Buhari commends Gowon for advocating peace, unity at 87

Read Next

Drop treason, terrorist charges against Kanu, Ohanaeze Youths’ Council appeals to FG

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *