In a message marking Africa Day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that Africa should be represented at the highest level of the international financial system, given that African countries are under-represented in global governance institutions such as the Security Council and the Bretton Woods system, and are denied debt relief.
Mr. Guterres noted that this day comes at a time when cooperation and solidarity are more necessary than ever for the future of the continent.
Antonio called on the multilateral development banks to mobilize funds to attract massive private financing at a reasonable cost to developing countries, stressing that “Africa is a dynamic continent with extraordinary potential, from the energy of its many young people to the opportunities offered by free trade”.
Given the continent’s abundant potential, in terms of natural, human, and entrepreneurial resources, Mr. Guterres called on African governments to continue to seize these opportunities by striving to mobilize more private investment and increase resources at the national level.
The UN Secretary-General also called on developed countries to provide the support they have promised in the fight against climate change.