The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has said Africa must directly benefit from its natural wealth, declaring an end to the exploitation of the continent’s resources.
Addressing African leaders at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on Saturday, Mr Guterres said the current global economic system remained unfair to African countries.
“No more exploitation. No more plundering. The people of Africa must benefit from the resources of Africa,” he said.
He added that African nations must gain “first and fully” from their critical minerals through fair value chains, local manufacturing and sustainable development.
Security Council exclusion ‘indefensible’
Mr Guterres also criticised the absence of permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council, describing the situation as outdated and unjust.
“The absence of permanent African seats on the Security Council is indefensible. This is 2026 – not 1946,” he said.
He stressed that Africa must have a meaningful voice in global decision-making, especially on issues affecting the continent.
Calls for peace across conflict regions
The UN chief called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan and renewed political dialogue in South Sudan.
He also urged respect for the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and called for African-led political solutions to crises across the Sahel, Libya and the Horn of Africa.
Mr Guterres said cooperation between the UN and the African Union had strengthened significantly in recent years, particularly on peace, human rights and sustainable development.
The Secretary-General warned that developing countries faced a $4 trillion annual financing gap to meet global development goals.
He said Africa was losing more money through debt servicing and illicit financial flows than it received in international aid.
“It is simply unconscionable that Africa must contend with an economic and financial system that remains totally unjust,” he told journalists after the summit.
He called for reforms, including tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks and increasing Africa’s participation in international financial institutions.
Mr Guterres also warned that Africa was being disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing little to global emissions.
He said African countries were facing worsening droughts, floods and extreme heat, describing the situation as “climate injustice”.
The UN chief urged developed countries to increase climate adaptation funding and mobilise $1.3 trillion annually for developing nations by 2035.
He said reforming global institutions and ensuring fairness in economic and environmental systems was essential to Africa’s future.
