President Akufo-Addo calls for bold reforms at UN "Summit of the Future"

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called for urgent global reforms during a speech at the United Nations "Summit of the Future" in New York.

Addressing world leaders, government officials, and delegates, President Akufo-Addo highlighted the need for multilateral cooperation to tackle pressing global challenges, including climate change, inequality, and global governance reform.

“Our theme, ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow,’ reminds us that no nation, no matter how powerful, can solve today’s challenges alone,” he declared. 

President Akufo-Addo stressed that issues such as the climate crisis and terrorism transcend national boundaries, requiring coordinated global action.

He condemned the rise of isolationism and nationalism, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing out that the pandemic revealed the interconnectedness of all nations and the failure of unilateral solutions to global challenges.

Focusing on the climate crisis, President Akufo-Addo highlighted Africa's disproportionate suffering despite its minimal contribution to global carbon emissions. He called for "climate justice," arguing that Africa should not bear the brunt of a crisis it did not create. “We are told to ‘adapt’ and ‘be resilient,’ but how does one adapt to famine, or build resilience when farmers cannot predict the seasons?” he questioned.

President Akufo-Addo also spoke on the widening inequality between rich and poor nations, noting that over 700 million people continue to live in extreme poverty. He called for a new global economic order that promotes inclusivity and fairness, urging the world to address the growing gap between the wealthy and those in poverty.

A central focus of his speech was the need to reform the United Nations Security Council, which he described as an "outdated, post-Second World War relic." He emphasized the underrepresentation of Africa, a continent of 1.4 billion people, and advocated for the implementation of the Ezulwini Consensus, which outlines Africa’s position on UN reform.

“Africa’s voice must be heard in shaping the future of global peace and security,” he stated, urging reforms that would ensure every nation has an equal voice in international decision-making.

Concluding his address, President Akufo-Addo urged world leaders to act decisively, stating that future generations would judge their actions. “We cannot be the generation that stood by as the world burned, while inequality widened, and promises of justice went unfulfilled,” he said.