Addis Ababa, February 15: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Africa is facing some of the world’s toughest challenges with courage, innovative ideas, and resilience.
Speaking to the media during the 39th African Union Summit held at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital, Guterres emphasized that African nations are continuously striving to address development-related issues. He noted that this is not a miracle but a result of persistent and practical efforts to solve real problems. He also remarked that the current international environment is more fragmented, uncertain, and unstable than the period following the Cold War.
Guterres highlighted the progress being made in Africa, from enhancing regional unity to investing in clean energy and infrastructure. He acknowledged that this progress is not uniform and can sometimes be slow, but change is indeed occurring.
He praised Africa’s potential and stressed the importance of a stronger partnership between the United Nations and the African Union. He identified three main priorities for this collaboration: peace and security, financial justice, and addressing climate change.
Guterres pointed out that many regions in Africa are grappling with deep and complex crises, including Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sahel region, and the Horn of Africa. These conflicts involve multiple parties, interests, and levels.
He stated that African institutions and leaders are working to curb violence on the continent, but they require more global cooperation. He noted that some efforts are under excessive pressure, others lack sufficient resources, and political support alone is insufficient.
According to Guterres, Africa hosts some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, yet many countries are under significant financial strain. The burden of debt, high-interest rates, and a lack of long-term financing hinder progress in education, health, and job creation.
He emphasized the injustice of Africa still grappling with a global economic and financial system that is not entirely fair, especially after enduring the deep wounds of colonialism.
Guterres insisted that developing countries must have a real voice and effective participation in international financial institutions, as these bodies make decisions that directly impact their futures.
On the issue of climate change, he noted that Africa contributes very little to global emissions but suffers the most from its effects. Problems like drought, floods, famine, and extreme heat are impacting the lives of its people.
The UN chief remarked that Africa is not receiving adequate support to tackle the impacts of climate change and transition to clean energy. He described this as a direct injustice related to climate issues and stated that with the right support, Africa could become a major hub for renewable energy in the world.
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