Despite its ups and downs, Africa remains a source of hope for the world, the United Nations (UN) has reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that in the last 20 years, the African Union (AU) \u201chas helped to bring this hope to life, in order to enable the continent to realize its enormous potentials.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said that the African Continental Free Trade Area and the decade of financial and economic inclusion for African women were some of the pointers of Africa\u2019s relevance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UN chief said this in his address to the 35th Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa on Saturday via video message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was represented in the Ethiopian capital, by Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Guterres, the collaboration between the UN and AU \u201cis stronger than ever\u201d, with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063, Africa\u2019s blueprint for a peaceful, integrated and more prosperous continent, as the central pillars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The secretary-general argued that \u201cinjustice is deeply embedded in global systems\u201d, but it was the Africans who \u201care paying the heaviest price.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He remembered that the vaccination rate in high-income countries was seven times higher than in Africa and stated that \u201ca morally bankrupt global financial system has abandoned the countries of the South.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe unethical inequalities that suffocates Africa, fuel armed conflict, political, economic, ethnic and social tensions, human rights abuses, violence against women, terrorism, military coups and a sentiment of impunity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of that, Guterres said, tens of millions of people are displaced across the continent and the democratic institutions are in peril.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The secretary-general then offered the UN\u2019s support to ignite \u201cfour engines of recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, he said, everyone needed to get their vaccines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this regard, he highlighted the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Force (AVATT) and the benefits that greater vaccine production in South Africa and other African countries will generate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI urge you to create the conditions for the number of African countries capable of producing tests, vaccines and treatments to multiply, including by addressing intellectual property issues, and providing the technical and finance needed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, Guterres said Member states needed to ignite the engine of economic recovery by reforming the global financial system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut the deck is stacked against Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is facing cumulative economic growth per capita over the next five years that is 75 per\u202fcent less than the rest of the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called for re-directing Special Drawing Rights \u2013 an IMF-created reserve currency asset \u2013 to countries that need support now, reform of the international debt architecture, and more concessional forms of finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirdly, the UN chief pointed to a green recovery across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vast continent contributes just 3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but many of the worst impacts of climate change are being felt there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo address today\u2019s tragic reality, we need a radical boost in funding for adaptation and mitigation on the continent,\u201d Guterres said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, the Glasgow COP26 commitment to double adaptation finance, from 20 billion dollars, must be implemented, but it was not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called on wealthier countries to make good on the $100 billion dollars climate finance commitment to developing countries, starting this year, and hold to account private sector partners who have also made similar commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are in emergency mode, and we need all hands on deck,\u201d he said, pointing to the next UN Climate Conference (COP27), happening later this year in Egypt, as \u201can essential opportunity for Africa and our world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, the UN chief said peace across the continent could also work as an engine for recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural states across Africa, Guterres believes an organisation like the African Union \u201cis about showing how people can co-exist \u2013 even flourish \u2013 by working together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, this requires \u201cinclusive and participatory structures\u201d and so Member States need to make them a reality through good governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially for young Africans, Guterres added, who need more connectivity to access information, benefit from faster communication, better education and job.<\/p>\n\n\n
Despite its ups and downs, Africa remains a source of hope for the world, the United Nations (UN) has reported. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that in the last 20 years, the African Union (AU) \u201chas helped to bring this hope to life, in order to enable the continent to realize its enormous potentials.\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22967,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[241],"tags":[22],"class_list":["post-40299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-foreign","tag-africa","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\n