AU Summit: Guterres calls for ‘collective, comprehensive, coordinated’ response to challenges facing Africa

The challenges facing African nations are “complex, multi-faceted and far-reaching” but a “collective, comprehensive and coordinated” response by the global community will build on the momentum that already exists to help the continent thrive, the UN chief told the African Union Summit.

Secretary-General António Guterres 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.”

“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.”

Collective action is required at the borders of those Sahelian countries where the State needs to be strengthened, he added, and where public social services “are cruelly lacking.”

“I reiterate my full commitment to continue working closely with you to ensure we achieve the Africa we want as set out by Agenda 2063 and truly silence the guns forever.”

Original source: UN News
Published on 09 February 2020