Osinbajo returns to Nigeria after G7 summit

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has returned to the country after the G7 summit in Sicily, Italy.

Laolu Akande, his spokesman, announced this around 6pm on Saturday.

While announcing the departure of the acting president, Akande had said his principal would return later on Saturday.

“AgP Osinbajo now back in Lagos after participating in the G7 summit Africa outreach. In his speech he said Africa is confident of its future,” Akande tweeted.

AgP Osinbajo now back in Lagos after participating in the G7 summit Africa outreach. In his speech he said Africa is confident of its future

— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) May 27, 2017

Nigeria, Guinea, Tunisia, Niger, Ethiopia and Kenya were the selected African nations and leaders at the summit.

In his speech at the programme, Osinbajo expressed confidence in the future of Africa.

“Africa is confident of the future because we have learnt… we are investing more in education, insisting on good governance and holding ourselves to account,” he said

“But the greatest reason for our optimism is in the incredible energy, talent and creativity of our young people, male and female who are completely undeterred by the failures of the past and are daily taking advantage of innovation and technology bringing about the Africa of our dreams.”

While assuring the G7 countries of Africa’s increasing collaboration as never before in trade, counter-terrorism and strengthening democracy, Osinbajo commended the seven most industrialised nations of world for their support in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency.terrorism, especially the US, France and the United Kingdom as effective partners in the Lake Chad basin, citing the successes of “our joint intelligent unit which has provided useful and timely intelligence in the war against terrorism.”

He singled out the US, France and the United Kingdom as effective partners in the Lake Chad basin, citing the successes of “our joint intelligent unit which has provided useful and timely intelligence in the war against terrorism.”

Besides leaders of the G7 countries at the summit, other world leaders include the African Union, chairman of the African Union, United Nations, OECD, IMF, AfDB.

Meanwhile, the summit was deadlocked on climate change.

A final G7 communique said all member countries – except the US – had reaffirmed their “strong commitment” to abide by the 2015 Paris climate agreement to rein in greenhouse gas emissions.

Trump said he will make a final decision on whether the US will stay in the Paris climate agreement next week.

Backing out of the climate accord had been a central plank of Trump’s campaign. Trump once proclaimed global warming a Chinese hoax.