Raphael Obonyo: Prioritise Africa's interests at UN summit
Africa has 65 per cent of uncultivated arable land which has the potential to make the continent one of the great breadbaskets for the world
What you need to know:
- Africa faces multiple challenges to its aim of achieving prosperity.
- The continent faces various challenges in its struggles to meet the targets in the sustainable development goals.
Next month, world leaders will gather in New York for the UN Summit of the future to showcase the power of international collaboration in addressing both current and emerging challenges.
Dubbed as #Ourcommonfuture, the summit must address Africa’s issues and vital interest.
Numerically, Africa is the single largest group in the UN system hence the multilateral system must work closely with African countries and the continent’s institutions to achieve social-economic development, peace and security goals.
As Brazil’s President Lula da Silva recently remarked, Africa with its more than one billion inhabitants, its immense and rich territory has enormous possibilities for the future.
Lamentably, 79 years since the adoption of UN Charter in San Francisco, African voices is still missing in matters of global governance. For example, reforms of the UN Security Council must give Africa due representation.
Nothing can explain the absence of a permanent African seat in the Security Council. So far, Africa is the only region without a permanent seat.
Further, developing countries especially in Africa should be given utmost consideration in trade arrangements. In this case, there is need to support the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
Africa faces multiple challenges to its aim of achieving prosperity and in its struggles to meet the targets in the sustainable development goals.
Many countries in Africa are exposed to extreme weather events exercebated by climate change. In Namibia for example, the country is thinning out the population of wild animals including elephants to distribute food to a hunger stricken nation. The country is fcaing its worst drought in decades.
Yet, the agricultural architecture sits at the centre of climate action, the environment, food security, job creation and lays the groundwork for future industrial revolution.
Look at it this way, Africa has 65 per cent of uncultivated arable land which has the potential to make the continent one of the great breadbaskets for the world.
Also, more needs to be done to reduce the continent’s external debt challenge. Unfortunately, many African countries have relatively high levels of debt which means they do not have enough fiscal resources to tackle pressing challenges.
These debts include loans to mitigate against climate risks. Priority should be to help Africa tackle debt issue – unfair and unpayable debts.
In the efforts to close the digital divide, Africa should be given due consideration.. The gap between Africa and other continents needs to be tackled. Everybody deserves the benefits of a modern and connected life. More should be done to make technology available, accessible, and affordable for all in Africa.
Make no mistake, there is no effective global architecture without Africa. Above all, the world needs Africa to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
Mr Obonyo is a public policy analyst.
Email: [email protected]
