Coups, poverty must be addressed for Africa to develop, says Osinbajo – Nexus News
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, announced that poverty, socio-economic rights, environmental and sustainable development and issues about unconstitutional changes of governments must be resolved for Africa to achieve desired level of development.
Osinbajo spoke on the theme: ‘The African Court and The Africa We Want’, as Special Guest of Honor in his speech at the opening of the 2022 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in Arusha, Tanzania.
He said: “The Africa we want is one that addresses, among others, humanity’s most pressing concerns of eradication of poverty, hunger and disease; the sustenance of democracy and the rule of law; sustainable development, especially dealing with challenges of climate change and application of finite resources for economic growth and diversification; human security and peace.”
He also praised the African Court of Human and People’s Rights for the Afrocentric development of human rights jurisprudence, stating that already the African Court is doing it’s part.
He noted that the court has required states to uphold rights and principles of fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in elections during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also stating its declaration that states should not use the rescheduling of elections dates to “unduly” extend elected officials’ term of office.
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The Vice President, who spoke on justices of the African Court, other sister regional human rights institutions, groups of lawyers and experts and international human rights bodies, among other stakeholders, noted the challenges and responsibilities “we must discharge to arrive at the type of continent we want,” and then asked the question, “what is the Court doing by its mandate and practice to relieve those burdens?”
He then summoned African nations to, while pursuing implementation of Agenda 2063, resolve to enhance human rights records of the continent in the immediate future, as “the purpose of life is in the here and now, not in the far future.”
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