Guterres warned that the world cannot turn its back on the continent. His remarks came on Wednesday following the ninth high-level conference between the UN and the African Union (AU) in New York.
The talks focused on strengthening cooperation across peace, security, development, human rights, and climate action. Guterres stressed that Africa is disproportionately affected by global crises.
“Our world is in turmoil, rocked by deadly conflicts, widening inequalities, climate chaos and runaway technologies. The impacts are felt deeply on the African continent,” the Secretary-General said at a press briefing alongside AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
The two leaders highlighted collaboration on flagship initiatives, including the AU’s Silence the Guns programme, climate justice, energy transition, and Security Council reform.
Guterres outlined three priority areas requiring decisive action:
- Prioritising Africa – He called for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, describing the current imbalance as “an intolerable injustice.”
- Reforming the global financial system – Despite Africa’s vast resources, progress is constrained by an outdated financial architecture. Guterres urged reforms to ease debt burdens, lower borrowing costs, and better serve developing countries. African leadership helped secure the Sevilla Commitment, which lays out steps for such reforms.
- Investing in peace – The Secretary-General reaffirmed support for the Silence the Guns initiative and stressed the urgency of reducing conflict across the continent.
Guterres expressed grave concern over ongoing violence, citing reports of atrocities in Sudan, rising insecurity in the Sahel, and conflicts in Mali, South Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The world must not turn its back on Africa, home to nearly one-fifth of humanity. The stakes are too high. And the potential is too great,” he said.
The Secretary-General is expected to press for these priorities at the G20 summit in Johannesburg later this month, urging industrialised nations to lead on overdue financial reforms and investments in African development and peace initiatives.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
