Written By Lisa Murimi
On Monday, UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang highlighted Africa’s potential and the urgent need for international support to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Speaking during a debate on African development, Yang discussed the continent’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“There has never been a better time to accelerate progress towards peace, prosperity, and sustainable development,” Yang said, while acknowledging the special challenges African nations face, including food insecurity and electricity deficits.
He stressed that Africa’s development has been hampered by debt distress and an unjust global financial system, with a $1.6 trillion financing gap.
Yang called for systemic reforms to create a fairer financial system that prioritizes investments in resilience over debt servicing.
Despite the challenges, Yang praised Africa’s resilience, noting that economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to rise to 3.8% by 2025.
He urged the global community to support Africa in harnessing its growing working-age population for transformative change.
Yang also emphasized the importance of peace and political solutions in conflict-affected countries like Sudan and Somalia, pledging to keep Africa’s development at the forefront of the UN’s agenda. “Africa must continue to rise,” he concluded.
