The General Assembly President, addressing a debate on African development on Monday, drew attention to the African continent’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 – a comprehensive framework of the African Union (AU).
“There has never been a better time to accelerate progress towards peace, prosperity and sustainable development,” said Philemon Young.
special challenge
General Assembly President Philemon Young drew attention to the recently adopted Memorandum of Understanding on the Future, which specifically included African countries in the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda.
He stressed that although Africa has vast energy and agricultural resources, many countries on the continent are struggling with power shortages and food insecurity.
What’s more, high debt burdens and a lopsided global financial system have increased Africa’s financial pressures, leading to a development financing gap of $1.6 trillion.
The president of the General Assembly called for a more equitable fiscal system, saying the current system “prioritises high interest rates and profit from debt while ignoring investment in sustainability and social services.”
If Africa is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by the deadline, the continent will need an additional $194 billion per year.
Call for worldwide support
Philemon Yang acknowledged the bleak economic outlook but praised Africa’s resilience as economic growth in the sub-Saharan Africa region is projected to reach 3.8 percent by 2025, compared to 2.6 percent by 2023.
He called on the world community to help lay solid foundations for inclusive progress through the full exploitation of Africa’s natural resources.
He emphasized that the continent’s growing working-age population could be a strong source of transformative change.
Peace and political solutions
General Assembly President Philemon Young emphasized the importance of peace and political solutions to conflicts and wars, especially in countries like Sudan and Somalia.
He called for legal and social reforms to remove obstacles and discrimination in the path of justice. He also noted the need for a comprehensive strategy to promote peace and the rule of law in Africa.
He committed to making African development a top priority on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly, stressing that Africa must move forward to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future.