Source: United Nations secretary general
[Opening remarks below; full transcript will follow shortly]
Good afternoon.
Over these past three days in Addis Ababa, I have met many leaders from across the continent to discuss challenges across the spectrum.
I want to emphasize that despite the many tests facing Africa, we start from a position of strength.
As I said in my remarks to leaders this morning, the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations has never been stronger.
And this is an especially vital time to build – not least with South Africa’s historic chairing of the G20 this year.
Africa is a continent of possibility and hope, but we also cannot sidestep or sugarcoat essential truths.
Africa has unique needs – and, as the theme of this Summit highlights – Africa faces unique obstacles.
Namely, the profound and deeply rooted legacies of colonialism and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Century upon century of exploitation.
Decade upon decade of economic, social and institutional underinvestment.
Year upon year of neglect.
The result – sometimes by accident, but often by design – is a playing field that is stacked against Africa.
A United Nations Security Council where Africa still inexplicably lacks permanent representation.
And an international financial architecture where the power and place of Africa is not fairly at the table.
Correcting age-old injustices is essential to addressing immediate challenges.
My discussions here, broadly speaking, focused on four areas.
First, boosting sustainable development, investment and affordable finance, which are so crucial with just five years left to the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is in the centre of these concerns that we are pushing for our reforms of international financial architecture to give developing countries more voice, more power, more representation and more access to the resources they need.
Second, securing climate action and justice to tackle an existential threat that the African people did virtually nothing to create. The truth is that some of the worst storms, some of the worst droughts, some of the worst negative impacts of the economies and societies are in Africa, but Africa is not contributing to climate change.
Third, making sure that Africa is not left behind in the technology race.
When it comes to opportunity and capacity building in Artificial Intelligence, AI must stand for Africa Included.
And fourth and fundamentally, achieving and sustaining peace throughout the African continent.
Yesterday, I was honoured to take part in a special session of the African Union Peace and Security Council.
We focused on the crises of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
My messages were clear:
Despite nearly two years of fighting in Sudan, every day brings horrific new reports of civilian killings, human rights abuses and sexual violence.
Hate-speech and ethnically-motivated attacks are on the rise.
And the economy is in freefall.
More weapons flow and more war means more suffering and instability for the region and far beyond.
There is no military solution.
In the spirit of Ramadan which is about to begin, it is time for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
The Sudanese people need a clear path out of this nightmare.
And the world needs a stable, peaceful Sudan.
In the DRC, as more cities fall, the risk of a regional war rises.
It’s time to silence the guns.
It’s time for diplomacy and dialogue.
The recent joint Summit in Tanzania offered a way with a renewed call for an immediate ceasefire.
The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected.
There is too much at stake. The Congolese people – and the people of the region – deserve peace.
Across the continent, we will continue to work for peace – from Sahel to Somalia and beyond.
And we will keep strengthening our many joint efforts with the African Union for security, stability, human rights and the rule of law.
The challenges are great.
But the opportunities are greater.
The United Nations will be with the people of Africa every step of the way.
And I thank you.