UNGA77: AU LEADER, MACKY SALL INSIST ON G20 SLOT FOR AFRICA.
Written by AIGBOKHAEBHO OKHUELEIGBE on September 21, 2022
The Seventy-seventh General Assembly of the United Nations, opened on Tuesday with the Chairman of the African Union, Macky Sall demanding the deconstruction of narratives that confine Africa to the margins of decision-making.
The Senegalese President who was the first African leader to speak at the gathering in New York lamented that it is time for a fairer, more inclusive global governance, insisting that the African Union must be granted a seat in the G20.
Sall also stressed that the permanent member status for Africa on the UN Security Council remains a cardinal request. He demanded Africa be left to remain neutral in the war in Ukraine. He said:
Since our last session, the world has become more dangerous, and more uncertain. It is a global threat that falls under the primary responsibility of the (UN Security) Council as it is the guarantor of the collective security mechanism under the charter of the organization. We, therefore, urge the Council to engage more with us in the fight against terrorism in Africa and to do this with more appropriate mandates and more substantial resources.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres had called for a move away from neutrality in the ongoing conflict which has killed thousands.
Our world is in peril and paralyzed, we cannot go on like this. We are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction.
The UN Scribe added that the international community is not ready or willing to tackle the issues.
The United Nations charter and the ideals it represents are in jeopardy and we must act.
Story By Sola Jaiyesimi with Additional information from San Diego Times and UN Website
