Africa, 9 February 2020 (GNP) : Secretary-General Antonio Guterras told the annual gathering of 55 African nations in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, that the strategic partnership between the UN and AU is “of paramount importance” and he was deeply committed to the principle that Africa’s challenges can only be solved through African leadership.
There are three main challenges “of particular urgency” facing the continent, said the UN chief, highlighting first, making inroads against poverty through the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which dovetails with the AU’s own drive towards Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The drive for sustainable development has yielded significant improvements, with rising living standards, better access to quality education, healthcare and services, “but progress remains slow and uneven when it comes to ending poverty and ending exclusion”, said Mr. Guterres.
Calling for fairer globalization, he said African nations were working to eliminate corruption, reform taxation systems, governance and institutions, but it was up to the international community to “complement these efforts with much stronger determination”, including fighting illicit flows of capital.
Gender equality and gender parity are also key, he added, noting that “peace, social cohesion and sustainable development require women’s contribution and leadership.”
Engaging and empowering youth is also necessary, he said: I am inspired by young people across Africa who have become advocates for peace through dialogue and addressing the root causes of conflict.
Turning to the climate crisis, he said Africa was the least responsible for accelerated global warming, but “among the first and worst to suffer.”
The Secretary-General commended Africa’s “longstanding moral and political leadership on the climate emergency.”
“Last year was devastating, along with the destruction of cyclones Idai and Kenneth, there are numerous under-reported climate-linked crises from the Sahel to Zambia, from Kenya to Madagascar”, he added.
A climate-related locust infestation is causing misery across vast swathes of East Africa and addressing climate-related security risks in the Horn of Africa, Central Africa and the Sahel, must be a priority.
“We need more ambition on mitigation and, especially for Africa’s sake, more ambition on adaptation and financing to build resilience of African countries and communities and allow for effective recovery and reconstruction.” (GNP)