Osinbajo in Austria for Africa, Europe Heads of Government meeting

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will participate in the Africa-Europe High Level Forum with other African and European Heads of States and Government in Vienna, Austria.

Vice President’s spokesman Laolu Akande, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the forum was hosted by the Austrian government on behalf of the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).

Osinbajo would be speaking on the theme of the forum, ‘Taking Cooperation to the Digital Age’ holding from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18.

According to the organisers in the EU and AU, the forum would promote innovation and digitalisation as important enablers of future development, so that everyone can benefit from the ongoing digital transformation.

It would assess how the partnerships between Africa and Europe contribute to this goal and complement the ongoing implementation of the joint declaration of the 2017 Abidjan Summit between the AU and the EU.

The declaration among other things highlighted the importance of unlocking the potential of the digital economy for Africa and Europe.

It also aimed at contributing to the Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs.

In Vienna, Osinbajo would hold a town-hall meeting with the Nigerian community in Austria; and also attend several bilateral meetings with European government leaders.

Some of the European government leaders are the Prime Minister of Czech Republic, Andrej Babis; Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Sipilä; the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz; and the UK Minister for Africa, Harriet Baldwin.

Osinbajo would also meet with top officials of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.