Achieving SDGs, Int'l Financial Architecture Reform among UN Priorities in Africa: UN Chief

Addis Ababa, February 15, 2025 (ENA) -- United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres highlighted the focus areas of partnerships with Africa including boost sustainable development and push for reforms of international financial architecture to give developing countries more voice and more power.

Briefing the media during the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa today, the Secretary-General said "Over these past two days in Addis Ababa, I have met many leaders from across the continent to discuss challenges across the spectrum.

He noted that "Africa is the continent of possibility and hope but we also cannot sidestepped or sugarcoat essential truth."

Highlighting his focus areas on Africa, António Guterres said that boosting sustainable development, investment and affordable finance, which are so crucial, and with just five years left to the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He added that it is against 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.

Securing climate action and justice to tackle an existential threat that the African people did virtually nothing, the UN chief stated.

He underlined that the truth is that some of the worst storms, some of the worst droughts, some of the worst negative impacts on the economies and societies, are in Africa, but Africa is not contributing to climate change.

He also underlined to make 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.

Achieving and sustaining peace throughout the African continent is the core task of the UN, Guterres stressed.

 According to him, emphasis will be give to the resolution of the crisis in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 "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 free fall,” he added.

He also stated that more weapons flow and more war means more suffering and instability for the region and far beyond.

 “There is no military solution. And 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,”the secretary-general stressed.

Relating 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, Guterres stated.

We will continue to work for peace from Sahel to Somalia and beyond, and we'll keep strengthening our many joint efforts with the African Union for security, stability, human rights and rule of law.

The challenges are great, but the opportunities are greater, and United Nations will be with the people of Africa every step of the way, he added.