Africa: ‘Africa Must Continue to Rise,’ Says General Assembly President

To meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN General Assembly President on Monday emphasised Africa’s potential and the urgent need for both international support and systemic reforms across the continent.

In a speech delivered during a debate on African development, Assembly President Philémon Yang addressed the continent’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s (AU) related framework, known as Agenda 2063.

“There has never been a better time to accelerate progress towards peace, prosperity and sustainable development,” he stated.

Special challenges

Mr. Yang highlighted the recent adoption of the Pact for the Future which acknowledges the special challenges faced by the most vulnerable countries, in particular African States, in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

He stressed that despite Africa’s vast energy and agricultural resources, many nations suffer from electricity deficits and food insecurity.

Moreover, debt distress and the unjust global financial system have exacerbated Africa’s financial pressures, resulting in a development financing gap of $1.6 trillion.

He called for a more just financial system, expressing that the current system “prioritises high interest rates and debt servicing over investments in resilience and social services.”

The continent will need about $194 billion in additional financing annually to achieve the SDGs.

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